Heterotopic pregnancy associated with assisted reproductive technology

The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy has been reported to be 1 per 30,000 pregnancies. This incidence may be much higher in pregnancies associated with assisted reproductive technology. Intravaginal ultrasonography and the use of quantitative beta-subunit assays of human chorionic gonadotropin should allow early diagnosis and treatment.     

Ectopic pregnancy risk with assisted reproductive technology procedures

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ectopic pregnancy risk among women who conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. METHODS: The ectopic rate for ART pregnancies was calculated from population-based data of pregnancies conceived with ART in U.S. clinics in 1999-2001. Variation in ectopic risk by patient and ART treatment factors was assessed by using bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 94,118 ART pregnancies, 2,009 (2.1%) were ectopic. Variation was observed by procedure type. In comparison with the ectopic rate (2.2%) among pregnancies conceived with in vitro fertilization and transcervical transfer of freshly fertilized embryos from the patient's oocytes (fresh, nondonor IVF-ET), the ectopic rate was significantly increased when zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) was used (3.6%) and significantly decreased when donor oocytes were used (1.4%) or when a gestational surrogate carried the pregnancy (0.9%). Among fresh nondonor IVF-ET procedures, the risk for ectopic pregnancy was increased among women with tubal factor infertility (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-2.4; referent group = ART for male factor), endometriosis (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6), and other nontubal female factors of infertility (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.6) and decreased among women with a previous live birth (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.7). Transfer of embryos with an indication of high implantation potential was associated with a decreased ectopic risk when 2 or fewer embryos were transferred (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9), but not when 3 or more embryos were transferred. CONCLUSION: Ectopic risk among ART pregnancies varied according to ART procedure type, reproductive health characteristics of the woman carrying the pregnancy, and estimated embryo implantation potential. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.     

辅助生殖技术单胎妊娠结局分析

目的:研究辅助生殖技术(ART)与自然受孕两种不同受孕方式单胎妊娠的妊娠结局。方法:回顾分析2009年1月1日至2017年12月31日在广州医科大学附属第三医院住院分娩的妊娠≥20周的单胎妊娠病例资料。按受孕方法分为ART组及自然妊娠组,分析两组母儿结局,再按是否为高龄妊娠,比较ART组及自然妊娠组的母儿结局。结果:ART组孕妇的平均年龄、初产妇、定期产检、非足月胎膜早破(PPROM)、羊水量异常、子痫前期、妊娠期高血压、妊娠合并血小板减少症、妊娠期糖尿病、糖尿病合并妊娠、前置胎盘、胎盘植入/粘连、产后出血、剖宫产分娩、产钳/吸引产助产、人工剥离胎盘、药物/机械性引产、流产、胎儿窘迫及胎儿为男性发生率均高于自然妊娠组,ART组的住院天数更长,分娩孕周更低,转诊重症监护病房(ICU)、急性器官衰竭发生风险较低,ART组围产儿平均体重高于自然受孕组。高龄妊娠孕妇中,ART组的妊娠期糖尿病、剖宫产分娩发生风险增加。非高龄妊娠孕妇中,ART组子痫前期、妊娠期高血压、妊娠期糖尿病、糖尿病合并妊娠、流产、PROM、羊水量异常、前置胎盘、胎盘植入/粘连、产后出血、胎儿窘迫、人工剥离胎盘、药物/机械性引产发生风险增加。ART组较自然妊娠组钳产/吸引产风险均增加,产妇转诊ICU及非规律产检发生风险均降低,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论:ART受孕单胎妊娠并发症及新生儿不良结局发生率高于自然妊娠组孕妇,但其更注重孕期产检;在非高龄妊娠孕妇中,ART组母儿不良结局风险增加,而高龄妊娠孕妇中,ART组母儿不良结局风险增加不明显。     

体外受精-胚胎移植术后宫内外同时妊娠32例临床分析

目的:探讨宫内外同时妊娠(HP)的发生率、危险因素、诊断、治疗方式及预后。方法:回顾分析2013年1月至2015年12月南京大学医学院附属鼓楼医院妇产科收治的32例HP患者的临床资料。结果:我院体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)术后HP的发生率为1.54%(32/2076);HP患者均行IVF-ET,且均移植胚胎两枚,合并输卵管疾病者占71.88%(23/32);经阴道超声诊断正确率为84.38%(27/32);29例要求保留宫内妊娠,患者的保胎成功率为82.76%(24/29),其中保守治疗、减胎治疗、腹腔镜手术、开腹手术保胎成功率分别为80.00%(4/5)、100%(3/3)、83.33%(5/6)、80.00%(12/15);各种治疗方法的保胎成功率无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论:输卵管病变、IVF-ET是HP的主要危险因素;经阴道超声对诊断有意义;手术治疗是主流的治疗方法;HP患者预后较好。     

Drug intervention in early pregnancy after assisted reproductive technology

Implantation in humans is a complex, closely regulated, highly selective and relatively poorly understood process. Humans have the highest rate of miscarriage in mammals and various pharmacological manipulations have been used to minimize pregnancy losses in both spontaneous pregnancies and pregnancies resulting from assisted reproduction technology. The widespread application of protocols using numerous drugs in assisted reproduction treatment has led to an increasing number of pregnancies exposed to these drugs. The vast majority of these protocols have been based on data from a few observational and often retrospective clinical studies. This paper reviews the recent literature on drug interventions in early pregnancy after assisted reproduction treatment. It is concluded that there are still numerous issues about the safety of most drugs for both the women and their fetus. In many cases, the benefits are theoretical and the possible long-term side-effects are untested. There is an urgent need for more epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials to explore the use, efficacy and side-effects of both old and new drugs in early pregnancy after assisted reproduction treatment.     

Joseph Price oration. The multiple gestation epidemic: the role of the assisted reproductive technologies

Human IVF has transformed so many lives, but there has been one major drawback--namely the so-called epidemic of multiple gestations.     

辅助生育技术妊娠早产的防治

随着辅助生育技术的不断发展和应用，其不良妊娠结局发生率高于自然妊娠的问题日渐突出，获得广泛关注。其中，早产是最常见、最严重的并发症之一，对早产儿有潜在、长期的影响。因此，要重视辅助生育技术妊娠早产的防治，并明确危险因素，探讨有效的干预措施。     

Serum hormones for predicting pregnancy outcome after assisted reproductive technology

Serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in the second and third week after embryo transfer has been used for prediction of pregnancy outcome after assisted reproduction. There are few data on the clinical utility of HCG, progesterone and oestradiol, measured by contemporary immunoassay, in the fourth week after embryo transfer and later. Moreover, large inter-method differences have been described between automated immunoassays, making method-specific cut-off values mandatory. The main aim of this study was to determine assay-specific optimal cut-off values for serum HCG, progesterone and oestradiol for prediction of clinical pregnancy outcome in singleton pregnancies after assisted reproductive techniques, at days 11, 18 and 25 and at week 6 after embryo transfer. A retrospective study was performed on frozen serum samples of 67 singleton pregnancies after assisted reproduction techniques. HCG, oestradiol and progesterone were determined with the automated (random access) VIDAS immunoanalyser. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine optimal cut-off values. Predictive values were calculated based on the prevalence of non-viable pregnancy after assisted reproduction. It was concluded that measurement of HCG by VIDAS at days 18 and 25, and at week 6 after embryo transfer yields high positive (70.5-100%) and negative (87.2-94.4%) predictive values for clinical pregnancy outcome.     

辅助生殖技术妊娠丢失的相关因素分析

辅助生殖技术(ART)后妊娠丢失病因复杂,困扰着大多数不孕患者与临床工作者,明确其相关因素对改善ART妊娠结局至关重要。经过文献综述,夫妻双方年龄、胚胎染色体异常影响ART妊娠结局,而ART方法、多胎妊娠是否影响其妊娠结局,及ART妊娠丢失率是否高于自然妊娠仍需进一步探讨,这为今后的研究提示了相应的研究方向。     

The association between vasa previa, multiple gestations, and assisted reproductive technology

Patients with multiple gestations, low-lying placentas, velamentous cord insertions, and history of assisted conception should be evaluated carefully for a vasa previa. Serial surveillance for signs of preterm labor and elective cesarean delivery at 34 to 35 weeks after corticosteroids for fetal lung maturity is a reasonable management strategy for vasa previa in multiple gestations.     

The risk of ectopic pregnancy following tubal reconstructive microsurgery and assisted reproductive technology procedures

Purpose  

The incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the general population is 2%, whereas the EP rate following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is between 2.1 and 11%. EP is also an adverse effect of tubal surgery with incidences up to 40% depending on the type, location, and severity of tubal disease and the surgical procedure.     

Predictors of spontaneous reduction in multiple pregnancies conceived following assisted reproductive technology

Objective

To identify patient and cycle parameters that relate to spontaneous reduction in multiple pregnancies following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET).

Study design

A retrospective cohort study was conducted in an academic infertility center. All IVF cycles between January 2007 and June 2008 were evaluated and 69 infertile women were diagnosed with multiple gestation following IVF. Multiple pregnancy was diagnosed by transvaginal sonography at 6–7 weeks gestation following embryo transfer (ET). Repeat ultrasonography undertaken in late first trimester assessed ongoing multiple pregnancy versus occurrence of spontaneous reduction. Patient and IVF cycle parameters were compared between patients experiencing spontaneous reduction (n = 26, cases) compared to those where the multiple pregnancy proceeded uneventfully (n = 43, controls).

Results

Spontaneous reduction (SR) was observed in almost 38% of the studied multiple gestations (n = 69). Women experiencing SR were significantly older (p = .047), of a leaner body mass (p = .049), and exhibited significantly higher serum estradiol (E₂) levels in the early follicular phase (p = .016) compared to the controls. Endometrial thickness (EMT) on the day of hCG administration related inversely (p = .017), whereas the number of embryos transferred (ET) related positively with the likelihood of SR (p = .027). On multivariate analyses, EMT and the number of ET were identified as independent predictors of SR following IVF–ET; EMT of less than 10 mm was associated with a fourfold increased likelihood of SR (OR 4.18; 95% CI 1.02–17.01) whereas each additional embryo transferred doubled the risk of SR in multiple pregnancies resulting from IVF (OR 2.39; CI 1.02–5.58).

Conclusions

In multiple pregnancies conceived following IVF, occurrence of SR is relatively common. Increasing number of ET and EMT measuring <10 mm are identified as independent predictors of likelihood of SR. While advancing age, body mass and baseline E₂ levels were associated with likelihood of SR, these associations disappeared on adjusted analyses. The observed relationship between EMT and SR is novel: the underlying mechanisms are unclear and merit further investigation.