Delivery rates after elective single cryopreserved embryo transfer related to embryo survival

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess if eSCET (elective Single Cryopreserved Embryo Transfer) outcome is related to blastomere survival rate. The final objective was to avoid multiple pregnancies and offer the best chances to women to achieve pregnancy even during their frozen–thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.Study designPatients were included in this prospective observational study if they met the following criteria: (i) women age <37 years old; (ii) IVF of ICSI cycle rank ≤2, (iii) eSET proposed during fresh embryo transfer cycle and (iv) ≥1 good quality cryopreserved embryos available (<20% fragmentation and 4–5 blastomeres at day-2 or 7–9 blastomeres at day-3). Live birth rates (LBR) were compared into eSCET groups according to embryo survival (partially damaged or intact transferred embryo).ResultsWe observed among selected patients, that partial loss of blastomeres (1 blastomere for day-2 embryos, 1 or 2 blastomeres for day-3 embryos) following FET cycles did not affect LBR compared with intact embryo.ConclusionThese results underline the relevance of eSCET as a strategy to reduce multiple pregnancies frequency without reducing LBR.