When multiple gestational sacs are seen on ultrasound, 'take-home baby' rate improves with in-vitro fertilization

Abstract

During a 5.5 year period, 309 clinical pregnancies were recorded in our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) unit. A single gestational sac was identified by early ultrasonography in 233 patients, while in 76 others, multiple gestational sacs were noted. 'Take-home baby' rate, in patients in whom multiple sacs were observed, was higher than that in patients with a single sac. Delivery of at least one live newborn occurred in only 73.8% of patients with a single sac, compared with 93.3% and 91.7% in patients with two and three gestational sacs, respectively. Conversely, the early and late abortion rates were decreased in patients with multiple sacs. Embryonic implantation rate, defined as the ratio of gestational sacs observed to the number of embryos transferred, was found to be a valuable prognostic factor for a live delivery, and can serve as a tool in assaying the prognosis of pregnancy detected by early sonography. The observation of a higher 'take-home baby' rate in cases with multiple sacs identified by ultrasound and with higher embryonic implantation rate, might be the result of a better embryo quality and/or improved uterine receptivity, promoted by a favourable hormonal milieu or by as yet unknown endometrial factors.