Geographical Variability in the Outcome of Donor egg IVF Analysis of SART Data on 71,182 Donor egg IVF Cycles

Abstract

Sarah Moustafa, Laura Skrip, Rana Alkhaldi, Levent Mutlu and Lubna Pal

An earlier analysis of abbreviated SART (Society for Reproductive Technology) data for 2007 (n=443) had identified geographical heterogeneity in live birth (LB) rates in the United States resulting from donor egg IVF (In- Vitro Fertilization), and these observations allowed for positing on ecological underpinnings to IVF success. We herein aimed to determine the validity of geographical differences in LB following donor egg IVF through use of a larger study sample of both fresh and frozen embryo transfer donor egg IVF cycles (n=71, 182), after adjusting for a number of variables that are recognized to impact cycle success. Consistent with the earlier observations, geographical location of the IVF clinic emerged as an independent predictor of LB following donor egg IVF; also, highest LB rates with donor egg IVF following both fresh ET and with FET were noted at clinics located in the W compared to centers located in NE of United States (on analyses adjusting for recipient’s age, body mass index (BMI), race, number of embryos transferred (ET), and use of assisted hatching (AH) the likelihood for donor egg IVF related LB for clinics in W compared to the NE:OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.20-1.37 for fresh ET and OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.06 -1.30 for FET). This study reaffirms that success of donor egg IVF is susceptible to ecological influences that merit further investigation.

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