Spontaneous embryonic loss after in vitro fertilization with and without intracytoplasmic sperm injection

To determine whether pregnancies after IVF, with and without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), have different early spontaneous loss rates.

Retrospective analysis of IVF/ICSI dataset.

The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Women undergoing IVF with or without ICSI.

First-trimester sonography at 6-7 weeks to count the number of embryos with positive heartbeat. The number of embryos lost was calculated from a second-trimester sonogram.

Embryonic loss rates related to the initial number of embryos, maternal age <35 or > or =35 years, and IVF procedure.

In vitro fertilization and ICSI had similar embryonic loss rates (odds ratio [OR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-1.7, and OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.9-1.8 for women aged <35 years and > or =35 years, respectively). Younger women had fewer losses after IVF (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9). Multiples had lower loss rates compared with singleton pregnancies.

In vitro fertilization and ICSI have similar spontaneous embryonic loss rates. Factors other than the initial number of embryos, maternal age, and IVF technique, such as embryo quality or uterine environment, might be involved in the outcome of multiple pregnancies in assisted reproductive technology procedures.