Keywords
frozen embryo transfer
birth weight
obstetric complications
perinatal outcomes
How to Cite
Abstract
Study question. What are the perinatal outcomes and pregnancy complications in fresh (TF) and frozen (TEC) embryo transfers?
Summary answer. TEC newborns have a lower percentage of low birth weight, higher risk of high birth weight newborns, with no increase in maternal complications.
What is known already. TEC offers a similar pregnancy rate per cycle to FT, with reduction of some obstetric risks and better perinatal outcomes in certain groups.
Study design. Observational, analytical, retrospective, longitudinal study.
Materials and methods. 1308 single pregnancies greater than 22 weeks from January 2010 to December 2018 were analyzed. TF and TEC were compared, according to the age of the patients, up to 39 years and 40 years or more. Perinatal outcomes and pregnancy complications were analyzed. The D'Agostino-Pearson test, Mann-Whitney test and Chi square were applied. P less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Main results. Patients up to 39 years of age with TEC had a lower risk of low birth weight newborns (OR 0.3323; CI 0.2201 to 0.5015; p <0.0001) and an increased risk of high weight (OR 2.8046; CI 1.7492 to 4.4968; p <0.0001). In patients 40 years of age or older, TEC were comparable in low birth weight newborns (OR 0.3170; CI 0.0827 to 1.2152; p = 0.0938) while they had an increased risk of high weight children (OR 6 , 9565; CI 1.4549 to 33.2631; p = 0.0151). Pregnancy complications were significantly higher in TF than in TEC in patients up to 39 years of age (p = 0.0355). This difference was not seen in patients 40 years of age or older.
Limitations. Retrospective study, low case number
Wider implications of the findings. Defer transfers without increasing obstetric and perinatal risks.
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