Multiplying recipients paired with oocyte donors optimizes the use of donated oocytes

Abstract

Objective: To review donor-egg assisted reproductive technology (ART) activity using young fertile donors (<37 years of age) paired with multiple recipients.

Design: Age-matched cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary ART center at Cochin Hospital, Paris.

Patient(s): A total of 125 oocyte donors and 361 age-matched control subjects. Donated oocytes were attributed to 163 different recipients undertaking 258 transfer cycles.

Intervention(s): Donor-egg and regular ART.

Main outcome measure(s): Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) outcome-oocytes provided-was compared in donors and control subjects. Clinical pregnancy (cPR), ongoing pregnancy (oPR), and implantation (IR) rates per transfer in recipients were compared with age-matched controls. IRs were analyzed in the various recipients as a function of the number of oocytes harvested.

Result(s): COH outcome was similar in donors and control subjects. cPR (37.5%), oPR (28.4%), and IR (24.4%) were slightly but significantly lower in donor-egg recipients compared with control subjects (44.9%, 37.4%, and 31.8%, respectively). More embryos (average +2.06) were transferred fresh and fewer frozen. In recipients, IRs were independent from the number of oocytes received in the donor.

Conclusion(s): Multiplying recipients paired with oocyte donors slightly lowered per-transfer outcome, but enabled more (average +2.06) embryos to be transferred fresh.