Prognosis of oocyte donation cycles: a prospective comparison of the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles of recipients who used shared oocytes versus those who used altruistic donors.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the prognosis of IVF-ET cycles using oocyte sharing vs. cycles using altruistic donors.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort prognostic study.

SETTING: University teaching hospital.

PATIENT(S): A total of 353 consecutive infertile women with premature ovarian failure or diminished ovarian function.

INTERVENTION(S): After receipt of institutional ethics approval, IVF-ET was performed with the use of either oocyte sharing (n = 220) or altruistic donors (n = 133). Continuous data (mean + SD [95% confidence interval]) were compared with Student's t test or Mann-Whitney test as appropriate; categoric data were compared with Fisher's exact test, odds ratios (OR), and relative risk (RR). Two-tailed P<.05 was considered significant. Logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding variables.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The primary endpoint was clinical pregnancy. The secondary endpoints were E(2) dosage, endometrial thickness, fertilization, embryo quality, and rates of embryo cleavage, transfer, and implantation, positive beta-hCG, and biochemical, ectopic, and multiple pregnancy.

RESULT(S): There was no statistically significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates (28.18% vs. 30.08%; OR 0.91 [0.49-1.67]; RR 1.07 [0.69-1.65]; adjusted OR 0.95 [0.51-1.78]). The mean E(2) dosage, endometrial thickness, fertilization rate, embryo score, embryo cleavage, number of embryos transferred, and rates of implantation, positive beta-hCG, and biochemical, ectopic, and multiple pregnancy were similar.

CONCLUSION(S): The prognosis with use of shared oocytes is similar to that with altruistic donors.