Seasonality's Impact on Patients Receiving Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injections: A Reproductive Analysis

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Infertility Research
• Clinical Outcomes Analysis

Background:

• Conflicting evidence exists on seasonal influences on assisted reproductive technology (ART) success.
• Understanding these influences is crucial for optimizing fertility treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively compare ART outcomes in patients undergoing their first intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle.
• To analyze outcomes across four distinct seasons in the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 2,194 women undergoing their first ICSI cycle between 2017 and 2021 in Abha City, Saudi Arabia, was analyzed.
• Participants were categorized into Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter groups based on oocyte retrieval timing.
• Basal and stimulation characteristics were compared across the four seasonal groups.

Main Results:

• Fertilization rates varied, being lowest in autumn and highest in spring.
• Live birth rates were lowest in summer and highest in autumn.
• Crucially, all observed seasonal differences in outcomes were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Seasonal variations do not appear to significantly affect ICSI pregnancy outcomes.
• Fertility treatment success rates remained consistent regardless of the season of the cycle.
• Seasonality should not be a primary consideration when planning or performing ICSI cycles.