Effect of hyaluronan-enriched embryo transfer medium on IVF outcome: a prospective randomized clinical trial

This prospective randomized study reports the effect of hyaluronan-enriched embryo transfer media on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatments.

A total of 581 IVF-ET cycles were included in this study. In the Hyaluronan (HA) group (n = 290), embryos were transferred from hyaluronan-enriched transfer medium. In Control group (n = 291), a conventional embryo transfer medium was used.

There was no significant difference in clinical pregnancy rate (42.4 vs. 39.2%), implantation rate (23.3 vs. 23.2%), and delivery rate (31.0 vs. 29.2%) between the HA group and the Control group. The number of newborns was also similar in the two groups (111 vs. 110). However, birth weight was significantly higher in the HA group than in the Control group (3,018 ± 598 g vs. 2,724 ± 698 g, P = 0.001). Clinical pregnancy, implantation and delivery rates did not differ significantly between the HA and the Control group when cycles with advanced maternal age, previous IVF failures, low oocyte number or poor embryo quality were compared.

Our results suggest that hyaluronan enrichment of the embryo transfer media does not seem to have any beneficial effect on IVF outcome. However, further study is needed to clarify the role of hyaluronan in the implantation process and on the birth weight.