%0 Journal Article
%T Minimal ovarian stimulation combined with elective single embryo transfer policy: age-specific results of a large, single-centre, Japanese cohort
%A Keiichi Kato
%A Yuji Takehara
%A Tomoya Segawa
%A Satoshi Kawachiya
%A Takashi Okuno
%A Tamotsu Kobayashi
%A Daniel Bodri
%A Osamu Kato
%J Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1477-7827-10-35
%X A total of 7,244 infertile patients have undergone 20,244 cycles with a clomiphene-based minimal stimulation or natural cycle IVF protocol during 2008. Following oocyte retrieval, fertilization and embryo culture a total of 10,401 fresh or frozen single embryo transfer procedures were performed involving cleavage-stage embryos or blastocysts.Successful oocyte retrieval rate (78.0£¿%) showed no age-dependent decrease until 45£¿years. Fertilization (80.3£¿%) and cleavage (91.1£¿%) rates were not significantly different between age groups. Blastocyst formation (70.1£¿% to 22.8£¿%) and overall live birth rates (35.9£¿% to 2£¿%) showed an age-dependent decrease. Frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles gave the highest chance of live birth per embryo transfer (41.3£¿% to 6.1£¿%).High fertilization and cleavage rates were obtained regardless of age whereas blastocyst formation and live birth rates showed an age-dependent decrease. An elective single embryo transfer program based on a minimal ovarian stimulation protocol yields acceptable live birth rates per embryo transfer in infertile patients up until their mid-forties. However in very advanced age patients (equal or higher 45£¿years old) success rates fall below 1£¿%.
%K Minimal stimulation
%K Natural cycle IVF
%K Elective single embryo transfer
%K Assisted reproduction techniques
%U http://www.rbej.com/content/10/1/35/abstract