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. 2024 Nov;122(5):844-855.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.07.004. Epub 2024 Jul 8.

Trends and outcomes of fresh and frozen donor oocyte cycles in the United States

Caroline B Braun  1 , Carol E DeSantis  2 , Jacqueline C Lee  3 , Dmitry M Kissin  4 , Jennifer F Kawwass  3
Affiliations

Trends and outcomes of fresh and frozen donor oocyte cycles in the United States

Caroline B Braun et al. Fertil Steril. 2024 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: To examine trends, characteristics, and outcomes of donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles by original oocyte and resultant embryo state and determine whether oocyte state (fresh or frozen) is differentially associated with clinical pregnancy, live birth, and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: National study.

Patient(s): Patients undergoing donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles in the United States reporting to the National Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance System from 2013 to 2020. INTERVENTION(S): Original donor oocyte and resultant embryo state (fresh or frozen).

Main outcome measure(s): Annual numbers and proportions of total donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles stratified by oocyte and embryo state and single embryo transfer cycles resulting in the live birth of term (≥37 weeks gestation), healthy birthweight (≥2,500 g) singletons during 2013-2020. Rates of live birth and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births for 2018-2020 are also reported. Relative risks examine associations between donor oocyte state and live birth and term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births resulting from donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles.

Result(s): From 2013 to 2020, there were 135,085 donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles, of which the proportions increased for frozen embryos (42.3%-76.6%), fresh embryos using frozen donor oocytes (19.9%-68.3%) and single embryo transfers (36.4%-85.5%). During 2018-2020, there were 48,679 donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles. Rates of live birth were lower with frozen compared with fresh donor oocytes for both fresh (46.2%, 55.9%; adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.87) and frozen (41.3%, 45.8%; aRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98) embryo transfer cycles. Among singleton live births, rates of delivering a term, healthy birth weight neonate were similar for frozen compared with fresh donor oocyte transfer cycles among fresh (77.3%, 77.2%; aRR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.98-1.03) and frozen (75.6%, 75.1%; aRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.99-1.04) embryos.

Conclusion(s): In this national study of donor oocyte embryo transfer cycles, frozen embryo transfers, fresh embryo transfers using frozen oocytes, and single embryo transfers increased. Although frozen compared with fresh oocytes were associated with a slightly reduced rate of live birth, rates of term, healthy birthweight neonates among singleton live births were comparable between donor oocyte states.

Keywords: Donor oocyte; cryopreservation; frozen; live birth; pregnancy outcome.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interests C.B.B. reports funding from Marianne Ruby, MD Award from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine for a senior medical student to conduct research in an area that will advance knowledge and understanding of issues impacting women from menarche through menopause; and the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Scholarship for part of this research to be presented at the Annual Pacific Coast Reproductive Society Conference in Indian Wells, California, March 22–26, 2023. C.E.D. has nothing to disclose. J.C.L. has nothing to disclose. D.M.K. has nothing to disclose. J.F.K. has nothing to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Trends in Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles in the United States, 2013–2020
(A) Total Absolute Number of Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles and Percent of Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles Among All ART Transfer Cycles (B) Proportion of Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles using Frozen versus Fresh Embryos (C) Proportion of Fresh Embryo Transfer Cycles using Frozen versus Fresh Donor Oocytes
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Trends in Single Embryo Transfer (SET) and Perinatal Outcomes Among Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles in the United States, 2013–2020
(A) Proportion of Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles Utilizing SET (B) Proportion of Donor Oocyte SET Cycles Resulting in Singleton Live Births at ≥37 Weeks and Birthweight of ≥2,500 g (C) Proportion of Fresh Donor Oocyte Embryo Transfer Cycles Utilizing SET Cycles Resulting in Singleton Live Births at ≥37 Weeks and Birthweight of ≥2,500 g for Fresh and Frozen Donor Oocytes
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