Are there ethnic differences in pregnancy rates in African-American versus white women undergoing frozen blastocyst transfers?

Objective: To determine whether frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer pregnancy rates (PR) are lower in African-American compared with white women.

Design: Retrospective review of frozen blastocyst cycles.

Setting: University-based assisted reproductive technology (ART) program.

Patient(s): All patients who underwent a frozen blastocyst transfer between 2003 and 2008.

Intervention: None.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Live birth rate.

Result(s): One hundred sixty-nine patients underwent transfer of a frozen-thawed blastocyst. African-American women had a higher incidence of leiomyoma (40% vs. 10%) and tubal and uterine factor infertility. There was no difference in the live birth rate for African-American patients (28.0%) compared with white patients (30.2%). Of the patients who underwent a frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer, 58% (n=98) had their fresh, autologous IVF cycle, which produced the cryopreserved blastocyst, at Walter Reed Medical Center. A higher peak serum E2 level was noted in African-American patients (5,355 pg/mL) compared with white patients (4,541 pg/mL). During the fresh cycle, the live birth rates between African-American and white patients were significantly different at 16.7% versus 39.7%, respectively.

Conclusion(s): Live birth rates after frozen blastocyst transfer are not different between African-American and white women despite a fourfold higher incidence of leiomyomas in African-American women.