Cumulative delivery rate per aspiration IVF/ICSI cycle in POSEIDON patients: a real-world evidence study of 9073 patients

STUDY QUESTION

What is the cumulative delivery rate (CDR) per aspiration IVF/ICSI cycle in low-prognosis patients as defined by the Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number (POSEIDON) criteria?

SUMMARY ANSWER

The CDR of POSEIDON patients was on average ∼50% lower than in normal responders and varied across POSEIDON groups; differences were primarily determined by female age, number of embryos obtained, number of embryo transfer (ET) cycles per patient, number of oocytes retrieved, duration of infertility, and BMI.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The POSEIDON criteria aim to underline differences related to a poor or suboptimal treatment outcome in terms of oocyte quality and quantity among patients undergoing IVF/ICSI, and thus, create more homogenous groups for the clinical management of infertility and research. POSEIDON patients are presumed to be at a higher risk of failing to achieve a live birth after IVF/ICSI treatment than normal responders with an adequate ovarian reserve. The CDR per initiated/aspiration cycle after the transfer of all fresh and frozen–thawed/warmed embryos has been suggested to be the critical endpoint that sets these groups apart. However, no multicenter study has yet substantiated the validity of the POSEIDON classification in identifying relevant subpopulations of patients with low-prognosis in IVF/ICSI treatment using real-world data.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

Multicenter population-based retrospective cohort study involving 9073 patients treated in three fertility clinics in Brazil, Turkey and Vietnam between 2015 and 2017.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Participants were women with infertility between 22 and 42 years old in their first IVF/ICSI cycle of standard ovarian stimulation whose fresh and/or frozen embryos were transferred until delivery of a live born or until all embryos were used. Patients were retrospectively classified according to the POSEIDON criteria into four groups based on female age, antral follicle count (AFC), and the number of oocytes retrieved or into a control group of normal responders (non-POSEIDON). POSEIDON patients encompassed younger (<35 years) and older (35 years or above) women with an AFC ≥5 and an unexpected poor (<4 retrieved oocytes) or suboptimal (4–9 retrieved oocytes) response to stimulation, and respective younger and older counterparts with an impaired ovarian reserve (i.e. expected poor responders; AFC <5). Non-POSEIDON patients were those with AFC ≥5 and >9 oocytes retrieved. CDR was computed per one aspirated cycle. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between patient classification and CDR.

MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE

The CDR was lower in the POSEIDON patients than in the non-POSEIDON patients (33.7% vs 50.6%; P < 0.001) and differed across POSEIDON groups (younger unexpected poor responder [Group 1a; n = 212]: 27.8%, younger unexpected suboptimal responder [Group 1b; n = 1785]: 47.8%, older unexpected poor responder [Group 2a; n = 293]: 14.0%, older unexpected suboptimal responder [Group 2b; n = 1275]: 30.5%, younger expected poor responder [Group 3; n = 245]: 29.4%, and older expected poor responder [Group 4; n = 623]: 12.5%. Among unexpected suboptimal/poor responders (POSEIDON Groups 1 and 2), the CDR was twice as high in suboptimal responders (4–9 oocytes retrieved) as in poor responders (<4 oocytes) (P = 0.0004). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the POSEIDON grouping, number of embryos obtained, number of ET cycles per patient, number of oocytes collected, female age, duration of infertility and BMI were relevant predictors for CDR (P < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

Our study relied on the antral follicle count as the biomarker used for patient classification. Ovarian stimulation protocols varied across study centers, potentially affecting patient classification.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

POSEIDON patients exhibit lower CDR per aspirated IVF/ICSI cycle than normal responders; the differences are mainly determined by female age and number of oocytes retrieved, thereby reflecting the importance of oocyte quality and quantity. Our data substantiate the validity of the POSEIDON criteria in identifying relevant subpopulations of patients with low-prognosis in IVF/ICSI treatment. Efforts in terms of early diagnosis, prevention, and identification of specific interventions that might benefit POSEIDON patients are warranted.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

Unrestricted investigator-sponsored study grant (MS200059_0013) from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The funder had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish or manuscript preparation. S.C.E. declares receipt of unrestricted research grants from Merck and lecture fees from Merck and Med.E.A. H.Y. declares receipt of payment for lectures from Merck and Ferring. L.N.V. receives speaker fees and conferences from Merck, Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ferring and research grants from MSD and Ferring. J.F.C. declares receipt of statistical services fees from ANDROFERT Clinic. T.M.H. received speaker fees and conferences from Merck, MSD and Ferring. P.H. declares receipt of unrestricted research grants from Merck, Ferring, Gedeon Richter and IBSA and lecture fees from Merck, Gedeon Richter and Med.E.A. C.A. declares receipt of unrestricted research grants from Merck and lecture fees from Merck. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

How successful is TESE-ICSI in couples with non-obstructive azoospermia?

STUDY QUESTION

What are the chances of a couple with infertility due to non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) having their genetically own child by testicular sperm extraction combined with ICSI (TESE-ICSI)?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Candidate TESE-ICSI patients with NOA should be counselled that, when followed-up longitudinally, only a minority (13.4%) of men embarking for TESE eventually become a biological father.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Data available in the literature are only fragmentary because they report either on sperm retrieval rates after TESE or on the outcome of ICSI once testicular spermatozoa has been obtained, mostly in a selected subpopulation. Unfortunately, reliable data to counsel men with NOA on their chance to become a biological father are still lacking.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This is a retrospective cohort study performed in the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Brussel, approved by the institutional review board of the hospital.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING AND METHODS

We identified all patients with NOA, based on histology, who had their first testicular biopsy between 1994 and 2009. Patients were followed longitudinally during consecutive ICSI cycles with testicular sperm. The primary outcome measure was live birth delivery. The cumulative live birth delivery rate was calculated, based only on ICSI cycles with testicular sperm (fresh and/or frozen) available for injection. When patients delivered after transfer of supernumerary frozen embryos, this delivery was tallied up to the (unsuccessful) original fresh ICSI cycle. The sperm retrieval rate and pregnancy rate were secondary outcome measures.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Among the 714 men with NOA, 40.5% had successful sperm retrieval at their first TESE. In total, 261 couples had 444 ICSI cycles and 48 frozen embryo transfer cycles, leading to 129 pregnancies and 96 live birth deliveries. Crude and expected cumulative delivery rates after six ICSI cycles were 37 and 78%.

LIMITATIONS AND REASON FOR CAUTION

A retrospective cohort study design was the only way to study the cumulative delivery rate after TESE-ICSI in couples with NOA. Intrinsic limitations are related to the observational study design.

WIDER IMPLICATION OF THE FINDING

TESE-ICSI is a breakthrough in the treatment of infertility due to NOA, with almost 4 out of 10 (37%) couples having ICSI obtaining a delivery. However, unselected candidate NOA patients should be counselled, before undergoing TESE, that only one out of seven men (13.4%) eventually father their genetically own child.

STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTERESTS

None declared.

Can repeated IVF-ICSI-cycles be avoided by using blastocysts developing from poor-quality cleavage stage embryos?

In many clinics, good-quality embryos are selected for embryo transfer and cryopreservation at the cleavage stage, and poor-quality embryos are discarded. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine how many repeated IVF cycles could be avoided by culturing the cleavage stage poor-quality embryos to blastocyst stage and transferring them after vitrification and warming (604 IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection [IVF-ICSI] cycles were included). Poor-quality cleavage stage embryos not eligible for transfer or cryopreservation were cultured until day 5 or 6, and those developing to the blastocyst stage were vitrified. The rate of vitrified blastocysts and clinical pregnancy and delivery rate of the warmed blastocysts was evaluated. The effect of the extended culture on the cumulative delivery rate, and the number of avoided new treatment cycles was calculated. The surplus blastocysts resulted in clinical pregnancy, spontaneous abortion and delivery rates of 24.6%, 27.3% and 17.2% respectively. The use of surplus blastocysts raised cumulative delivery rate from 43% to 47% and 53 repeated new cycles were avoided. This study shows that the cumulative delivery rate can be increased, and repeated IVF-ICSI treatments avoided by using blastocysts developing from poor-quality cleavage stage embryos, which otherwise would have been discarded.

The impact of legally restricted embryo transfer and reimbursement policy on cumulative delivery rate after treatment with assisted reproduction technology

STUDY QUESTION

What is the impact of the Belgian legislation (1 July 2003), coupling reimbursement of six assisted reproduction technology (ART) cycles per patient to restricted embryo transfer policy, on cumulative delivery rate (CDR) per patient?

SUMMARY ANSWER

The introduction of Belgian legislation in ART had no negative impact on the CDR per patient based on realistic estimates within six cycles or 36 months.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The introduction of Belgian legislation limiting the number of embryos for transfer resulted in a reduction of the multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) per cycle by 50%.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

A retrospective cohort study with a study group after implementation of the new ART legislation (July 2003 to June 2006) and the control group, before legislation (July 1999 to June 2002).

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

CDR was compared in an academic tertiary setting between a study group after legislation (n = 795 patients, 1927 fresh and 383 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles) and a control group before legislation (n = 463 patients, 876 fresh and 185 FET cycles) within six cycles or 36 months, delivery or discontinuation of treatment. The CDR was estimated using life table analysis considering pessimistic, optimistic and realistic scenarios and compared after adjustment for confounding variables. In the realistic scenario we included information on embryo quality to define the prognosis of each patient discontinuing treatment.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

In the realistic scenario, CDR within 36 months was comparable (all ages, P = 0.221) in study group (60.8%) and control group (65.6%), as well as in different age groups (<36 years, P = 0.242; 36-39 years, P = 0.851; 40-42 years, P = 0.840). In the realistic scenario applied to six cycles, we found lower CDRs in the study group than in the control group within the two first cycles (all ages, P = 0.009; <36 years, P = 0.007) but no difference in CDRs between the two groups within the four subsequent cycles (all ages P = 0.232; <36 years, P = 0.198). The CDR within six cycles was 60 and 65.3% for study group and control group, respectively, for all ages, and 65.8 and 70.4%, respectively, in the subgroup younger than 36 years. In women ≥36 years, CDR within six cycles was comparable in both groups (36-39 years, 43% in study versus 44.4% in control group, P = 0.730; 40-42 years, 21% in study versus 23% in control group, P = 0.786).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

A retrospective cohort study design was the only way to study the impact of legislation on CDR. Owing to the retrospective nature of this analysis over a long period of time, our data are potentially influenced by improvements in techniques and therefore improved success rates in ART over time.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

This 'Belgian model' can now be considered for application worldwide in countries with the aim to reduce the main ART side effect (high MPR) and its associated costs without a negative effect on the main intended effect (high CDR).

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. No funding was obtained for this study.