Live birth rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and obstetric outcomes of elective single and double embryo transfers: Hong Kong experience.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the live birth rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and obstetric outcomes of elective single and double embryo transfers.

DESIGN: Case series with internal comparisons.

SETTING: University affiliated hospital, Hong Kong.

PARTICIPANTS: Between October 2009 and December 2011, 206 women underwent their first in-vitro fertilisation cycle. Elective single embryo transfer was offered to women who were aged 35 years or below, and had endometrial thickness of 8 mm or more and at least two embryos of good quality.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Live birth rate, multiple birth rate, and obstetric outcomes.

RESULTS: Among the 206 eligible women, 74 underwent an elective single embryo transfer and 132 a double embryo transfer. The live birth rate was comparable in the two groups, being 39.2% in the elective single embryo transfer group and 43.2% in the double embryo transfer group, while the multiple pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the elective single embryo transfer group than the double embryo transfer group (6.9% vs 40.4%; P<0.001). Gestational ages and birth weights were comparable in the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the rate of preterm delivery and antenatal complications (27.6% vs 43.9%, respectively; P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: In this selected population, an elective single embryo transfer policy decreases the multiple pregnancy rate without compromising the live birth rate. The non-significant difference in antenatal complications may be related to the small sample size.