Mc. Graham et al., Initial IVF-ET experience with assisted hatching performed 3 days after retrieval followed by day 5 embryo transfer, FERT STERIL, 74(4), 2000, pp. 668-671
Objective: To report our initial IVF-ET experience combining assisted hatch
ing performed 3 days after oocyte retrieval with day 5 embryo transfer (ET)
.
Design: Retrospective review of 110 consecutive IVF cycles not involving do
nor oocytes, including 16 cycles that involved assisted hatching performed
3 days after oocyte retrieval in combination with day 5 ET.
Setting: Academic teaching hospital IVF center.
Patient(s): Eighty-six consecutive IVF patients undergoing ET.
Intervention(s): Assisted hatching using acid Tyrode's solution performed 3
days after oocyte retrieval in selected cases in combination with day 3 or
5 ETs.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Clinical pregnancy rate per ET.
Result(s): Of the 16 women undergoing day 5 ET following day 3 assisted hat
ching, 14 had a clinical pregnancy. These included 11 ongoing/delivered sin
gletons and 2 ongoing/delivered twin pregnancies, neither of which was mono
chorionic. These clinical and ongoing/delivered pregnancy rates compared ve
ry favorably with those of 54% and 46%, respectively, for the 35 patients u
ndergoing day 5 ETs without assisted hatching, even though the latter group
appeared to be better IVF candidates based on the prognostic factors commo
nly used to predict success.
Conclusion(s): Our experience suggests that day 3 assisted hatching followe
d by day 5 ET may be a useful combination in selected patients. Although no
t seen in our small series, an increased risk: of monochorionic pregnancies
remains a theoretical concern when such a combination is used, since both
assisted hatching and blastocyst transfers have been independently linked t
o an increased risk in some reports. (Fertil Steril (R) 2000; 74:668-71. (C
) 2000 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).