Rapid policy change to single-embryo transfer while maintaining pregnancy rates per initiated cycle

Abstract

Public financing of IVF aims at increasing access to treatment while decreasing the expenses associated with multiple pregnancies. Critics argue that it is associated with lower pregnancy rates. This study compared cycles performed during 2009 (before implementation of Quebec's public IVF programme; period I) to those performed in the year following implementation (period II) in a single IVF centre. First fresh cycles in period I (499 women) and first fresh cycles (815 women) along with their corresponding first vitrified-warmed transfer (271 women) in period II were evaluated. From period I to period II, single-embryo transfer increased from 17.3% to 85.0% (P<0.001), multiple ongoing pregnancy rate decreased from 25.8% to 1.6% (P<0.001) and ongoing pregnancy rate decreased from 31.9% to 23.3% (P=0.001). During period II, the ongoing pregnancy rate per vitrified-warmed embryo transfer was 19.2%, leading to a cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate per initiated cycle of 29.7%, which was not different to the pregnancy rate per fresh cycle during period I (31.9%). To conclude, Quebec's public IVF programme decreased multiple pregnancy rates while maintaining an acceptable cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate, a more precise outcome to evaluate the impact of public IVF programmes.