Abstract
Research question
Does the time interval between oocyte retrieval and frozen embryo transfer (FET) affect
pregnancy outcomes after a freeze-all strategy?
Design
In a retrospective study, a total of 5995 patients who underwent their first FET following
a freeze-all cycle between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020, were included.
Patients were divided into immediate (the interval between oocyte retrieval and the
day of first FET was ≤40 days), delayed (>40 days but ≤180 days) and overdue groups
(>180 days). Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were analyzed, and multivariable regression
analysis was used to study the effect of FET timing on the live birth rate (LBR) in
the entire cohort and the different subgroups.
Results
The LBR was significantly lower in the overdue group than in the delayed group (34.9%
vs. 42.8%, P=0.002); however, after adjusting for confounding factors, the difference
was not statistically significant. The immediate group had a comparable LBR (36.9%)
with the other two groups in both the crude and adjusted analyses. Multivariable regression
analysis showed no impact of FET timing on LBR in the whole cohort or in the subgroups
according to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocol, trigger type, insemination
method, reason for freezing all, FET protocol, and transferred embryo stage.
Conclusions
The time interval between oocyte retrieval and FET does not impact reproductive outcomes.
Unnecessary delays in FET should be avoided to shorten the time to live birth.
Keywords
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Biography

Ying Wang, MD, PhD, Chief Physician at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking University Third Hospital. A member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the European Society of Human Embryology and Reproduction, and the Chinese Eugenics Science Association. She hosted and participated several National Natural Science foundations.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 6,
2023
Received in revised form:
March 4,
2023
Received:
December 16,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Reproductive Healthcare Ltd.