ICSI study shows strong increase in first trimester pregnancy loss after the age of 38 | ICSI

ICSI study shows strong increase in first trimester pregnancy loss after the age of 38 | ICSI

The research, presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, also showed that rates of preclinical abortion (defined as a miscarriage so early in the pregnancy that there is no clinical or ultrasound evidence of the pregnancy), miscarriage and overall pregnancy loss during the first trimester remained more or less constant until the age of 34, but increased steadily from the age of 35 onwards.

Dr Dominic Stoop, a senior clinical fellow and gynaecologist, and Ms Eleonora Jansen, an obstetrics and gynaecology resident in training, who are both from the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel (Brussels, Belgium), and colleagues analysed data on ICSI collected prospectively over 18 years from 1992 to 2009 - a total of 23,354 ovarian stimulation cycles carried out at UZ Brussel.

"To our knowledge, there have been no other studies reporting on live birth rates after ICSI in relation to the number of eggs retrieved that also includes the risks for preclinical abortion and miscarriage for women with a positive pregnancy test after ICSI treatment. By focusing only on ICSI treatments, we know the exact number of mature eggs retrieved, fertilised and implanted," said Dr Stoop.

The researchers found that the live birth rate was highly dependent on ovarian response. Women who had 11 or more eggs retrieved after stimulation had the best chance of a successful pregnancy; compared with these women, those who had 6-10 eggs retrieved had a 4.3% lower chance of a live birth, and those with only 1-5 eggs had a 16.4% lower chance.

Rates of preclinical abortion, miscarriage and overall pregnancy loss in the first trimester remained fairly constant until the age of 34, but then increased steadily. On average, rates of preclinical abortion, miscarriage and overall pregnancy loss in the first trimester were 8.5%, 6.8% and 16.9% respectively until the age of 37. Between the ages of 38-40 the rates rose to 13.8%, 16.6% and 33.8% respectively, and between the ages of 41-43 the rates rose to 21.6%, 31.6% and 56.7% respectively. Read More