Between January 1987 and December 1995, 15676 thawed embryo transfers
were included in the Fivnat register. During this period, the per tran
sfer pregnancy rate increased from 11.5% to 16.0%. Medical practice, r
esults and pregnancy factors were analysed on 11584 transfers collecte
d until december, 1994. The relationship between patients' characteris
tics or OPU cycles variables and pregnancy was analysed on a sub sampl
e of 8483 cycles of frozen embryo transfers for which the files could
be related to the original cycle which gave rise to the frozen embryos
. The per transfer pregnancy rate is decreased when the transfer cycle
combines hormonal substitution and GnRH analogue, or includes Clomiph
ene Citrate in the stimulation regimen. It increases with the number o
f transferred embryos (from 7.3% with 1 embryo to 16.5% with 3, and de
creases when the women's age increases (3.2% after 41 years). It is hi
gher when GnRH analogues were not used in the OPU cycle, and higher wi
th FSH when the long protocol is used. The pregnancy rate is also high
er when the OPU cycle resulted in a clinical pregnancy. Abortion and e
ctopic pregnancy rates are close to those resulting from transfers of
fresh embryos. The multiple pregnancy rate is lower as are the preterm
birth rate and hypotrophy. The malformation rate at birth is close to
that of fresh embryo transfers after IVF.