Does the Volume of the Embryo Culture Medium During Embryo Transfer Affects the IVF Outcomes?

Aretaieion University Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Clinical Pregnancy Rate

Treatments: Other: Volume of medium during embryo transfer

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03350646

B-74/30-10-2014

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study was to evaluate if higher volume (40-45μl VS 20-25 μl) of media used for embryo transfer affects the clinical outcomes in fresh IVF cycles.Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study, were randomized, on the day of the embryo transfer, into group A: low volume (20-25 μL) and group B: high volume (40-45 μL)

Full description

The volume of culture medium used for embryo transfer is a variable that has been speculated to affect the IVF outcome. It is known that ultra high volume (>100 μl) of medium during embryo transfer may result in embryo expulsion out of the uterus or ectopic pregnancy. Similarly, some authors advocate that ultra low volume of transferring medium (<10 μl) may negatively affect pregnancy and implantation rates.

However small differences in the volume of the culture medium may favor the outcome of the embryo transfer. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the use higher volume (40-45μl VS 20-25 μl) of media used for embryo transfer affects the clinical outcomes in fresh IVF cycles.

Enrollment: 236 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age ≤ 45y.o.
2. BMI≤36 kg/m2,
3. Baseline FSH concentration <15 IU/l,
4. Ovarian stimulation with the same GnRH antagonist protocol
5. Normal uterine cavity with endometrium thickness >7mm and trilaminar morphology at the Time of transfer and semen
6. Parameters of >1 million /ml motile spermatozoa with >4% physiological morphology -

Exclusion criteria

1. PGD cycles

2. Frozen -thaw cycles

3. Natural cycles or patients following different ovarian stimulation protocol were excluded from the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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236 participants in 2 patient groups

Low volume (20-25 μl)

Other group

Description:

Low volume (20-25 μl)

Treatment:

Other: Volume of medium during embryo transfer

High volume (40-45 μl)

Other group

Description:

High volume (40-45 μl)

Treatment:

Other: Volume of medium during embryo transfer