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ART results with frozen oocytes: data from the Italian ART registry (2005–2013)

  • Oocyte Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study is a retrospective collection of aggregated data from all the Italian ART centers reporting to the Italian National Register from cycles started between January 2005 and December 2013.

Methods

Data from both slow freezing (SF) and vitrification (V) were assessed for the period 2007–2013, while during the years 2005–2006 cryopreservation was exclusively performed by SF.

Results

In the study period, a total of 2,526,024 oocytes were retrieved (from 378,543 retrievals), of which 1,346,061 (53.3 %) were inseminated in fresh cycles and 214,481 (8.5 %) were cryopreserved. Cryopreserved oocytes were used in 24,173 cycles yielding 19,453 transfer cycles (80.5 % of the thawing/warming cycles) and 3043 clinical pregnancies (15.6 % per transfer). A significant difference in implantation (8.7 vs 12.9 % OR 1.30 CI 1.20–1.40) and pregnancy rates per transfer (12.2 vs 14.9 % OR 1.34 CI 1.23–1.46) was found between SF and V. Complete outcome data was available for 2708 pregnancies (89.8 %), leading to 1882 deliveries and 2152 live births. Neonatal major congenital anomalies were 0.9 % (20/2152).

Conclusions

A wide variation in pregnancy rates were found among different centers and lower rates were reported in donor cycles and in centers with more experience.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynaecology, Division of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Humanitas Fertility Center, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Paolo Emanuele PE Levi-Setti

  2. Tecnobios Procreazione, Bologna, Italy

    Andrea Borini

  3. Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Pasquale Patrizio

  4. ART Italian National Register, National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Health Institute, Rome, Italy

    Simone Bolli, Vincenzo Vigiliano, Roberto De Luca & Giulia Scaravelli

Authors
  1. Paolo Emanuele PE Levi-Setti
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  2. Andrea Borini
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  3. Pasquale Patrizio
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  4. Simone Bolli
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  5. Vincenzo Vigiliano
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  6. Roberto De Luca
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  7. Giulia Scaravelli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paolo Emanuele PE Levi-Setti.

Additional information

Capsule

With oocyte freezing, Italian registry database confirms a significantly higher implantation and pregnancy rate through vitrification as compared to slow freezing. However, a wide range of performance among centers was found with better results in centers with large experience. This is most likely due to the larger register data on oocyte freezing published in literature in infertile couples and because congenital anomalies were reported at very low rates in pregnancy follow-up.

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Levi-Setti, P.E.P., Borini, A., Patrizio, P. et al. ART results with frozen oocytes: data from the Italian ART registry (2005–2013). J Assist Reprod Genet 33, 123–128 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0629-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0629-5

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