Cumulative live-birth delivery after IVF/ICSI since the progressive introduction of single-embryo transfer.

The only way to decrease the incidence of multiple pregnancies in the IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) population is to introduce single-embryo transfer (SET). This study investigated the impact of the progressive introduction of SET for the whole IVF/ICSI population from the patients' point of view by calculating the cumulative live-birth delivery rate. During a 5-year period (2001-2005), the outcome of 2164 cycles with oocyte aspiration in 1047 patients was analysed.

The obstetrical and neonatal outcome of babies born after single-embryo transfer in IVF/ICSI compares favourably to spontaneously conceived babies.

Background: Recently, concern has risen about poor obstetrical and neonatal outcome of singletons after IVF/ICSI. Because the population of patients receiving single-embryo transfer (SET) resulting in singleton pregnancies is different from the one that would have become pregnant (with a singleton) before SET was introduced, we wanted to investigate whether the outcome of singleton pregnancies after SET differed from spontaneously conceived singletons.

Methods: The obstetrical and early neonatal outcome of all pregnancies originating from SET after IVF/ICSI procedures between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2003, was prospectively collected and analyzed.

Impact of a restriction in the number of embryos transferred on the multiple pregnancy rate.

Objective: To study the impact of the introduction of reimbursement of in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) laboratory costs in Belgium which is linked to an embryo transfer strategy leading to prevention of multiple pregnancies. The impact on the incidence of multiple and twin pregnancy rate as well as on ongoing pregnancy rate in our centre is calculated.

Study Design: Observational cohort study of all patients in the first year (July 1, 2003-June 30, 2004) since the implementation of the law and comparison of ongoing pregnancy rate and multiple pregnancy rate of our centre with Belgian data.

Singleton pregnancies are as affected by ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome as twin pregnancies.

The incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) did not decrease during the 5 years in which single-embryo transfer was introduced; OHSS is not more frequent in twin than in singleton pregnancies.

Single top quality embryo transfer as a model for prediction of early pregnancy outcome.

Background: Single embryo transfer (particularly of a top quality embryo) is an excellent model to correlate embryo quality in terms of morphological criteria to early pregnancy. We investigated whether this model could provide us with more information on what happens after implantation in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Methods: The outcome of 370 consecutive single top quality embryo transfers in patients younger than 38 years was analysed for pregnancy and first-trimester pregnancy loss (FTPL) before 13 weeks of gestation.