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Do trained reproductive endocrinologists perform better than their trainees? Comparing clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates after transfer of single fresh blastocysts

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To compare clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates of single blastocyst transfers performed by attending physicians or fellows in reproductive endocrinology and infertility program.

Methods

Retrospective study in an academic reproductive center. We evaluated 932 fresh single blastocyst transfer cycles performed by fellows in training (389 embryo transfers) and by attending physicians (543 embryo transfers).

Results

There were no differences in the baseline characteristics and IVF cycle parameters between patients who had transfers performed by fellows or attending physicians. Transfers performed by attending physicians or fellows resulted in similar CPR (46.5 vs. 42.9%, p = 0.28) and LBR (38.3 vs. 34.2%, p = 0.11). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting for possible confounders (age, gravity, parity, baseline FSH, antral follicle count, dose of gonadotropins, stimulation protocol, and quality of embryo transferred), CPR (OR 0.81, CI 0.62–1.07) and LBR (OR 0.79, CI 0.6–1.05) in the two groups were comparable.

Conclusion

Clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate after embryo transfer performed by attending staffs or fellows are comparable. This finding reassures fellowship programs that allowing fellows to perform embryo transfers does not compromise the outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University Reproductive Center, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Sadikah Behbehani, Joseph Hasson, Stefano Polesello, WY Son, Togas Tulandi & William Buckett

  2. Montréal, Canada

    Sadikah Behbehani

Authors
  1. Sadikah Behbehani
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  2. Joseph Hasson
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  3. Stefano Polesello
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  4. WY Son
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  5. Togas Tulandi
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  6. William Buckett
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sadikah Behbehani.

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The Research and Ethics Board of the McGill University Health Centre approved the study (Study 15-249).

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Behbehani, S., Hasson, J., Polesello, S. et al. Do trained reproductive endocrinologists perform better than their trainees? Comparing clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates after transfer of single fresh blastocysts. J Assist Reprod Genet 35, 885–890 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1127-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1127-3

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