Embryo quality is more important for younger women whereas age is more important for older women with regard to in vitro fertilization outcome and multiple pregnancy

Lee, Tsung-Hsien; Chen, Chin-Der; Tsai, Yi-Yi; Chang, Li-Jung; Ho, Hong-Nerng; Yang, Yu-Shih

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.11.074

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Volume 86, Issue 1 , Pages 64-69, July 2006

Embryo quality is more important for younger women whereas age is more important for older women with regard to in vitro fertilization outcome and multiple pregnancy

Tsung-Hsien Lee, M.D., M.Sc.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei County Hospital, Sanchong, Taiwan
Chin-Der Chen, M.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Yi-Yi Tsai, M.Sc.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Li-Jung Chang, M.Sc.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Hong-Nerng Ho, M.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Yu-Shih Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Reprint requests: Yu-Shih Yang, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, 100, Taipei, Taiwan (FAX: 886-2-23418557).

Received 30 June 2005; accepted 30 November 2005. published online 22 May 2006.

Objective

To determine the efficiency of embryo scoring systems for multiple pregnancy in women undergoing IVF procedures.

Design

Retrospective record analysis.

Setting

University hospital, tertiary medical center.

Patient(s)

Three hundred one patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation, IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and day 3 embryo transfer.

Intervention(s)

IVF/ICSI and embryo transfer.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Rate of pregnancy and rate of multiple pregnancy.

Result(s)

The score of the best three embryos (Top3) was more correlated with IVF outcome than were the number of good embryos (P=.009) or the cumulative embryo score (P=.038). In the logistic regression model, Top3 was more relevant to IVF outcome and multiple pregnancy for younger patients than was age (P<.05). For older patients, age was more correlated with IVF outcome and multiple pregnancy than was embryo morphology (P<.05).

Conclusion(s)

The embryo morphology criteria can help reduce the number of embryos transferred into younger patients. We could use the age of patients as an indicator to determine the number of embryos transferred into older patients.

Key Words: IVF , multiple pregnancy , embryo morphology , age