Comparisons of pregnancy loss patterns after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and other assisted reproductive technologies.

Objective: To compare outcome of pregnancies after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with those of other assisted reproductive technologies.

Design: Pregnancy outcomes after ICSI were followed prospectively and compared with pregnancy outcomes after IVF with fresh and frozen ETs and donor oocyte cycles.

Setting: A private tertiary referral center for genetics and infertility in Fairfax, Virginia.

Patients: One hundred thirty-six couples achieving pregnancy after undergoing ICSI, 71 after IVF, 35 donor oocyte recipients, and 19 after transfer of frozen-thawed embryos.

Interventions: In vitro fertilization and/or ET for all couples. Dilatation and curettage to obtain products of conception for chromosome analysis in 28 women experiencing spontaneous abortion.

Main Outcome Measures: Pregnancy outcomes were classified as preclinical loss, clinical loss, and ongoing pregnancy.

Results: The mean frequency of preclinical pregnancy loss was 26% after ICSI, 28% after IVF, 3% after ET using donor oocytes, and 11% after frozen ET. The rate of clinical loss after ICSI (21%) was compared with IVF (18%), donor oocyte cycles (11%), and frozen ETs (21%).

Conclusions: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is not associated with an increase in pregnancy losses, clinical or preclinical, compared with conventional IVF.