Tuesday 06 January 2009
Improved frozen embryo success rates reduce the need for costly and potentially harmful egg collection
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New research revealed at British Fertility Society’s annual conference
After an unsuccessful IVF cycle, despite the expense and risks of ovarian stimulation and egg collection, most couples opt to start a further fresh IVF cycle. However research announced today reveals that freezing and using the spare embryos created during a single IVF cycle significantly increases the chance of couples achieving success.
The success rate for couples using frozen embryos is often considered to be low and so many couples and clinics decide not to freeze spare embryos created during a fresh IVF cycle. However Oxford Fertility Unit today revealed exciting results from the analysis of success rates for IVF per egg collection, including the use of all stored embryos created from that cycle.
The study revealed that when women froze spare suitable quality embryos created during a fresh IVF cycle and, if not pregnant, went on to thaw and use these first:
- Women under 39 increased their success rate from 40% to 59
- Woman over 39 increased their success rate from 31% to 49%
Tim Child, Lead Clinician in the Oxford Fertility Unit explains, "By careful selection of spare embryos for freezing and later use we are able to maximise the chances of success for a couple per expensive and potentially risky fresh IVF-egg collection cycle. Our study shows that a good embryo freezing programme and meticulous attention to detail in the laboratory maximises the chances of success from a single fresh IVF cycle."
"Traditionally we have discussed success per cycle of treatment, for instance per fresh embryo or frozen embryo transfer. However the worst part of IVF for a couple is going through a fresh treatment with all the drugs, injections, costs and risks this entails. By looking at the success rate per egg collection, including the use of all spare frozen embryos created, we can clearly demonstrate the significant benefits for couples and clinics on focussing on running a good freezing programme."
Cost savings are significant. Each IVF cycle, including drugs, currently costs approximately £3,600. However, couples pay only around £600 to freeze suitable embryos and £700 for each subsequent embryo replacement.
These findings should be of interest to the NHS too because, whilst funding for IVF is generally increasing, some health authorities will not pay for the freezing and subsequent transfer of spare embryos created. It appears from these findings that an efficient embryo freezing programme is a cost effective way of maximising the outcome of a single fresh cycle.
In terms of risk to health, a frozen embryo replacement cycle completely eliminates the risk of the potentially fatal Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which is the main health risk associated with fresh IVF treatment.
To find out further information about the research, or to speak with Tim Child, please contact: Alex Henshall, Linsey Henshaw or Louise Renshaw at Bell Pottinger North on +44 (0) 1625 500 800.
About the study
The study followed 1290 couples undergoing IVF. After fresh embryo transfer one third of the couples had suitable spare embryos remaining and chose to freeze them. The study followed up all couples for 2-3 years until all embryos had been used or the couple achieved pregnancy success. The success rates were reported per egg collection, including successes from the subsequent use of frozen embryos. Women aged
About Oxford Fertility Unit
Oxford Fertility Unit has been operational since 1984. Approximately 1000 IVF cycles per year are carried out in this IVF unit with HFEA tables showing it to be the most successful unit in this area and in the top 20 (out of 75) in the country. The unit was the first to obtain ISO 9001 quality management certification in the UK and the first and only centre in the UK to obtain a licence to carry out In Vitro Maturation (IVM) of egg treatments.
The Unit treats NHS and self-funded couples and offers a wide range of fertility treatments including; Intra-uterine insemination (IUI), In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), In-Vitro Maturation (IVM) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), Surgical sperm retrieval (SSR), Donor Insemination (DI), IVF with donor sperm/eggs and storage of sperm, eggs and embryos.
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