Abstract
Purpose : To compare the incidence of monozygotic twins following blastocyst versus day-3 embryo transfer (ET).
Methods : A retrospective analysis of the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles utilizing blastocyst ET during 1999–2000 was compared to a similar group of patients undergoing day-3 ET during 1997–1998.
Results : Blastocyst ET was used in 75 cycles with 2.0 ± 2 embryos transferred. The comparison group consisted of 90 cycles with day-3 ET and 3.0 ± 2 embryos transferred.
Conclusions : High pregnancy rates are maintained with blastocyst ET even though fewer embryos are transferred. The rate of monozygotic twins is higher with blastocyst ET than with day-3 ET. This increase may partially negate the benefit of reduced high-order multiple gestations attributed to blastocyst ET.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and The American Society for Reproductive Medicine Assisted Reproductive Technology in the United States: 1999 results generated from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine/Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Registry. Fertil Steril 2002;71:798-807
Kolibianakis, EM, Devroey, P: Blastocyst culture: Facts and fiction. Reprod Biomed Online 2000;5:285-293
Schoolcraft, WB, Gardner, DK, Lane, M, Schlenker, MA, Hamilton, F, Meldrum, DR: Blastocyst culture and transfer: Analysis of results and parameters affecting outcome in two in vitro fertilization programs. Fertil Steril 1999;72:604-609
Peramo, B, Ricciarelli, E, Cuadros-Fernandez, JM, Huguet, E, Hernandez, ER: Blastocyst transfer and monozygotic twinning. Fertil Steril 1999;72:1116-1117
Rijnders, PM, van Os, HC, Jansen, CAM: Increased incidence of monozygotic twinning following the transfer of blastocysts in human IVF/ICSI. Fertil Steril 1998;70(1):S15-S16
Behr, B, Fisch, JD, Racowsky, C, Miller, K, Poole, R, Milki, AA: Blastocyst-ET and monozygotic twinning. J Assist Reprod Genet 2000;17:349-351
Gardner, DK, Schoolcraft, WB: In vitro culture of human blastocyst. In Towards Reproductive Certainty: Infertility and Genetics Beyond 1999, R Jansen, D Mortimer (eds), Carnforth, Parthenon Press, 1999, pp 378-388
Finberg, HJ: Ultrasound evaluation in multiple gestation. In Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynecology, PW Callen (ed), Philadelphia, PA, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp 102-108
Sheiner, E, Har-Vardi, I, Potashnik, G: The potential association between blastocyst transfer and monozygotic twinning. Fertil Steril 2001;75:217-218
Alikani, M, Noyes, N, Cohen, J, Rosenwaks, Z: Monozygotic twinning in the human is associated with the zona pellucida architecture. Hum Reprod 1994;9:1318-1321
Schieve, L, Meikle, SF, Peterson, HB, Jeng, G, Burnett, NM, Wilcox, LS: Does assisted hatching pose a risk for monozygotic twinning in pregnancies conceived through in vitro fertilization? Fertil Steril 2000;74:288-294
Da Costa, ALE, Abdelmassih, SA, de Oliveira, FA: Monozygotic twins and transfer at the blastocyst stage after ICSI. Hum Reprod 2001:16:333-336
Sills, ES, Moomjy, M, Zaninovic, N, Veeck, LL, McGee, M, Palermo, GD, Rosenwaks, Z: Human zona pellucida micromanipulation and monozygotic twinning frequency after IVF. Hum Reprod 2000;15:890-895
Paulson, RJ, Boostanfar, R, Saadat, P, Mor, E, Tourgeman, DE, Slater, CC, Francis, MM, Jain, JK: Pregnancy in the sixth decade of life. Obstetric outcomes in women of advanced reproductive age. JAMA 2002;288:2320-2323
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jain, J.K., Boostanfar, R., Slater, C.C. et al. Monozygotic Twins and Triplets in Association with Blastocyst Transfer. J Assist Reprod Genet 21, 103–107 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JARG.0000029493.54929.be
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JARG.0000029493.54929.be