The use of propofol, nitrous oxide, or isoflurane does not affect the reproductive success rate following gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) - A multicenter pilot trial/survey

Background: Whether anesthetic agents administered during gamete intrafallo pian transfer (GIFT) affect reproductive outcome is controversial. This mul ticenter pilot trial and survey had two purposes: to evaluate the effect of propofol, nitrous oxide, midazolam, and isoflurane on pregnancy outcome af ter GIFT, and to determine if a larger prospective, randomized study is war ranted. Methods: A written invitation was mailed to all 50 fertility programs in th e United States that are members of the Society for Assisted Reproductive T echnology and perform more than 30 GIFT procedures per year. They were invi ted to contribute information from the medical records of women who underwe nt GIFT during the calendar years 1993 and 1994. They were asked to documen t whether propofol, nitrous oxide, midazolam, a potent inhaled anesthetic a gent was used during the GIFT procedure; if the woman became pregnant; and if she delivered at least one live neonate. Results: Seven medical centers participated and contributed data from 455 w omen. The clinical pregnancy rate (number of pregnancies/total number of GI FT procedures) and the delivery rate (number of women who delivered at leas t one Live baby/ total number of GIFT procedures) were 35% and 32%, respect ively. A statistically significant difference could not be found in the cli nical pregnancy or delivery rates between those women who received propofol , nitrous oxide, midazolam, or isoflurane during GIFT and those who did not . Conclusions: No agent-related differences in pregnancy rates were found whe n propofol, nitrous oxide, isoflurane, or midazolam was used as part of the anesthetic technique for GIFT. Therefore, a more extensive prospective tri al does not appear to be warranted.