1. The effect of coronavirus disease 2019 immunity on frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles outcome
- Author
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Adva Aizer, Meirav Noach-Hirsh, Olga Dratviman-Storobinsky, Ravit Nahum, Ronit Machtinger, Yuval Yung, Jigal Haas, and Raoul Orvieto
- Subjects
Cryopreservation ,COVID-19 Vaccines ,Pregnancy Rate ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Pregnancy Outcome ,COVID-19 ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,vaccination ,Embryo Transfer ,Assisted Reproduction ,frozen-thawed embryo transfer ,Ovulation Induction ,Reproductive Medicine ,IVF ,Pregnancy ,Humans ,Female ,Pandemics ,Retrospective Studies - Abstract
Objective To study the effect of patients' immunization following COVID-19 infection or mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). Design A cohort retrospective study Setting Tertiary University Affiliated Medical Center Patients All consecutive patients undergoing FET cycles in our center. The study group (immune- group) consisted of patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic (between January 2021 to August 2021), who either recovered from COVID-19 infection or received the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The control groups consisted of patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic (between January 2021 to August 2021) but were not infected nor received the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (not-immune2021 group) and those patients treated between January 2019 to August 2019 (prior to the pandemic) (not-immune2019 group). Intervention FET cycles Main outcome measures Ongoing pregnancy rates and FET cycles' characteristics. Data on patient age and variables related to infertility treatment were collected from the patient records. Results During the study periods, 428 patients underwent 672 FET cycles. The immune group consisted of 141 patients who underwent 264 FET cycles (44 in post-infection and 220 in post-vaccination), while the non-immune2021 and 2019 groups consisted of 93 and 194 patients, undergoing 125 and 283 FET cycles respectively. Patients' characteristics and the types of endometrial preparations were comparable between the study groups. Implantation rate, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates per transfer were similar between the study groups (immune- group: post-infection and post-vaccination; not-immune2021 group; not-immune2019 group). Conclusions COVID-19 infection or vaccination did not affect patients' performance or implantation in their subsequent FET cycle., In the present study of patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 immunity does not affect the immediate subsequent FET cycle outcome.
- Published
- 2022