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Freeze All Strategy Versus Fresh Embryo Transfer After GnRH Analogue Trigger

Completed
Conditions
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Pregnancy Related
Interventions
Behavioral: obstetric outcomes after fresh versus cryopreserved embryo transfer
Registration Number
NCT05362734
Lead Sponsor
Istituto Clinico Humanitas
Brief Summary

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is one of the most dangerous complications of assisted reproduction technology (ART), described in approximatively 3 to 10% of stimulation cycles although an underestimation of the real incidence has been suggested.

The use in clinical practice of GnRH antagonist has made it possible to perform the trigger with GnRH analogues, with the advantage of considerably reducing the risk of OHSS.

Detailed Description

The main concerns about the trigger with analogue are about obstetric outcomes, since it may increase the Abortion Rate (AR) and reduce the Ongoing Pregnancy Rate (OPR) due to luteal phase deficiency, and on the other hand about oocyte quality and competence.

While in order to maximize the chance of pregnancy at fresh embryo transfer after GnRHa trigger, several studies have focused on the importance of luteal phase support, other authors suggest that the best strategy is freeze-all: cryopreservation of all the obtained embryos and subsequent single embryo transfers.

However, data about oocyte quality, retrieval rate, pregnancy rate and reduced occurrence of complications such as OHSS, especially on the very first embryo transfer, are still scarce.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
1396
Inclusion Criteria
  • patients undergoing ART cycle with antagonist protocol stimulation and trigger with GnRH agonist
  • patients are believed at risk of OHSS at time of trigger based on size and number of follicles developed (≥18 follicles with diameter 12 mm at induction).
Exclusion Criteria
  • hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
  • other ART protocols
  • any patient that underwent freeze-all strategy in order to perform pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT)
  • oncological or deferring motherhood freezing procedures

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
First cryopreserved embryo transfer (group B)obstetric outcomes after fresh versus cryopreserved embryo transferThe two groups analysed were defined according to the modality of first embryo transfer: cycles in which a fresh ET was performed at first, after a dual triggering or a rescue protocol (Group A) and cycles where a frozen-thawed ET was performed at first, after being chosen a freeze-all strategy (Group B).
First fresh embryo transfer (group A)obstetric outcomes after fresh versus cryopreserved embryo transferThe two groups analysed were defined according to the modality of first embryo transfer: cycles in which a fresh ET was performed at first, after a dual triggering or a rescue protocol (Group A) and cycles where a frozen-thawed ET was performed at first, after being chosen a freeze-all strategy (Group B).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
ongoing pregnancy rate8 years

number of viable pregnancies that had completed at least 12 weeks of gestation on the total number of ETs performed

delivery rate8 years

number of deliveries of one or more live births over the total performed ET

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Other pregnancy outcomes8 years

ectopic pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, multiple Birth Rate

Safety profile8 years

Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome incidence

the dropout rate8 years

number of cycles in which any live birth (from either ART and/or spontaneous conceive) was not achieved and still some embryos or oocytes had to be thawed

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