Experience with the elective transfer of two embryos under the conditions of the German embryo protection law: results of a retrospective data analysis of 2573 transfer cycles

The German embryo protection law (Embryonenschutzgesetz, ESchG) does not al low embryo selection. Therefore, only as many oocytes at the pronuclear sta ge (PN), as are planned to be transferred, are allowed to be cultured, It i s not known whether, under these conditions, it is possible to reduce the n umber of embryos for transfer without a corresponding reduction of the over all pregnancy rate (PR). We retrospectively analysed 2573 consecutive trans fer cycles following either in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or IVF/intracytopl asmic sperm injection, Out of these cycles, 234, 329 and 792 mere performed with one, two, and three embryos respectively, because only that number wa s available (non elective transfer), Another 123 and 1095 transfer cycles w ere performed with two and three embryos, respectively; which were selected from a higher number of PN oocytes (elective transfer). The clinical ongoi ng PR were 3.9, 9.1 and 17.7% respectively for the groups with non-elective transfer of 1, 2 and 3 embryos, and 22.0 and 22.5% for the groups with ele ctive transfers with two and three embryos, respectively, There,vas no stat istically significant difference in PR between the two elective embryo tran sfer groups up to the age of 40 years, The multiple pregnancy rate was redu ced by 7.9%. The reduction of the number of embryos transferred from three to two can be performed even under the conditions of the ESchG without an e ffect on the overall PR.