OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether assisted hatching improves clinical outcomes of embryo transfers to good prognosis patients, defined as patients < or =39 years with normal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and E(2) levels, no more than one previous unsuccessful cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer, and good embryo quality. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING:Private assisted reproductive technology (ART) center. PATIENT(S): One hundred ninety-nine good prognosis patients undergoing IVF-embryo transfer. INTERVENTION(S): In vitro fertilization followed by embryo transfer on day 3 after oocyte retrieval with or without assisted hatching using a 1,480-nm wavelength infrared laser. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical intrauterine pregnancy, spontaneous pregnancy loss, and live birth. RESULT(S): Rates of clinical intrauterine pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity (53% vs. 54% per cycle), spontaneous pregnancy loss (13% vs. 16% per pregnancy), and live birth (47% vs. 46% per cycle) were very similar between treatment cycles with laser-assisted hatching and control cycles in which embryos were transferred without assisted hatching. There were no significant differences between treatment and control groups in any measured clinical outcome parameters. CONCLUSION(S): Assisted hatching does not improve clinical outcomes among good prognosis patients.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether assisted hatching improves clinical outcomes of embryo transfers to good prognosis patients, defined as patients < or =39 years with normal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and E(2) levels, no more than one previous unsuccessful cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer, and good embryo quality. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Private assisted reproductive technology (ART) center. PATIENT(S): One hundred ninety-nine good prognosis patients undergoing IVF-embryo transfer. INTERVENTION(S): In vitro fertilization followed by embryo transfer on day 3 after oocyte retrieval with or without assisted hatching using a 1,480-nm wavelength infrared laser. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical intrauterine pregnancy, spontaneous pregnancy loss, and live birth. RESULT(S): Rates of clinical intrauterine pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity (53% vs. 54% per cycle), spontaneous pregnancy loss (13% vs. 16% per pregnancy), and live birth (47% vs. 46% per cycle) were very similar between treatment cycles with laser-assisted hatching and control cycles in which embryos were transferred without assisted hatching. There were no significant differences between treatment and control groups in any measured clinical outcome parameters. CONCLUSION(S): Assisted hatching does not improve clinical outcomes among good prognosis patients.