Optimal number of high-quality cleavage-stage embryos for extended culture to blastocyst-stage for transfer in women 38 years and older

Figures & data

Table 1. Main characteristics of the study population and clinical outcomes.

Parameter	SET-H	SET-L	p Value
No. transfers	221	202	/
Female age (years)	40.18 ± 2.04	40.34 ± 2.01	.825
BMI (kg/m^2)	22.68 ± 3.83	23.04 ± 2.89	.614
Total Gn dosage (IU)	2789 ± 910	3019 ± 1104	.010*
Gn stimulation, days	9.71 ± 2.36	10.06 ± 2.60	.081
Basal FSH (mIU/mL)	8.57 ± 3.20	9.15 ± 4.16	.111
Endometrial thickness (mm)	10.90 ± 2.34	10.65 ± 2.76	.324
Clinical pregnancy (%, n)	25.79% (57/221)	13.37% (27/202)	.001*
Ongoing pregnancy (%, n)	14.48% (32/221)	10.40% (21/202)	.205
Live birth (%, n)	14.48% (32/221)	9.41% (19/202)	.109

BMI: body mass index; Gn: gonadotropin; FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone; SET-H: single cleavage-stage embryo transfer with one high-quality embryo; SET-L: single cleavage-stage embryo transfer with one low-quality embryos

*Was significantly different.

Table 2. Main characteristics of the study population and clinical outcomes.

Parameter	DET-HH	DET-HL	DET-LL	p Value
No. transfers	262	207	219	/
Female age (years)	40.31 ± 1.94 (38–46)	40.19 ± 2.04 (38–45)	39.84 ± 1.84 (38–45)	.102
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.00 ± 2.90	23.24 ± 2.98	22.78 ± 2.81	.151
Total Gn dosage (IU)	3000 ± 887	2994 ± 1027	3030 ± 984	.710
Gn stimulation, days	10.05 ± 1.92	10.00 ± 2.10	10.22 ± 2.11	.269
Basal FSH (mIU/mL)	7.70 ± 2.23	8.04 ± 2.83	8.17 ± 3.89	.139
No. of retrieved oocytes (n)	7.14 ± 3.90	6.22 ± 3.56	5.92 ± 3.63	<.001*
Endometrial thickness (mm)	10.90 ± 2.82	10.76 ± 2.89	10.92 ± 2.76	.237
Clinical pregnancy (%, n)	44.66 (117/262)	31.89 (66/207)	31.05 (68/219)	.049*
Twin pregnancies (%, n)	18.80 (22/117)	25.76 (17/66)	19.12 (13/68)	.270
Ongoing pregnancy (%, n)	33.59 (88/262)	23.19 (48/207)	22.37 (49/219)	.007*
Live birth (%, n)	31.30 (82/262)	21.26 (44/207)	20.09 (44/219)	.005*

*Was significantly different.

Table 3. Main characteristics of the study population and clinical outcomes.

Parameter	D3-2H	D3-3H	D3-≥4H	p Value
No. transfers	52	109	374	/
Female age (years)	39.58 ± 1.70 (38–45)	39.77 ± 1.75 (38–44)	39.66 ± 1.68 (38–44)	.793
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.25 ± 2.46	22.95 ± 2.57	23.31 ± 2.90	.281
Basal FSH (mIU/mL)	7.62 ± 2.37	7.97 ± 2.91	7.01 ± 2.14	<.001*
No. of retrieved oocytes (n)	5.83 ± 2.79	6.74 ± 3.50	11.06 ± 4.40	<.001*
Endometrial thickness (mm)	11.07 ± 2.87	10.72 ± 2.77	10.96 ± 2.67	.256
No good blastocyst obtained (n, %)	25.00 (13/52)	19.80 (20/101)	14.98 (56/374)	.066
Clinical pregnancy (%, n)	34.62 (18/52)	43.12 (47/109)	52.41 (196/374)	.016*
Twin pregnancies (%, n)	5.56 (1/18)	2.13 (1/47)	13.27 (26/196)	.029*
Ongoing pregnancy (%, n)	25.00 (13/52)	28.44 (31/109)	41.98 (157/374)	.004*
Live birth (%, n)	21.15 (11/52)	26.61 (29/109)	39.30 (147/374)	.011*

*Was significantly different.

Figure 1. Comparison of pregnancy outcomes among DET-HH, D3-2H, and D3-3H groups. *Was significantly different; NS: no significant differences.

Figure 2. Blastocyst development and pregnancy outcomes of patients with day 3 embryos extended culture to blastocyst-stage between IVF and ICSI groups. *Was significantly different; NS: no significant differences.

Table 4. Prognostic parameters and odds ratios (OR) obtained from logistic regressions for live birth of patients with day 3 embryos extended culture to blastocyst-stage.

Parameter	OR	95% CI	p Value
No. of high-quality embryos on day 3 (n)	1.133	1.023–1.256	.017
No. of retrieved oocytes (n)	1.020	0.966–1.078	.473

CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio

p < .05 was significantly different.

Data availability statement

The data used to support the findings of this study were available from the corresponding author upon request.