Elective Single Embryo Transfer in the Setting of Funded In Vitro Fertilization: Two Years' Experience in an Ontario Hospital-Based Fertility Clinic.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess data from a fertility clinic and identify differences in patient and cycle characteristics, clinical pregnancy rates, and multiple gestation rates before and after fertility treatment funding and a policy of elective single embryo transfer were instituted by the Ontario government to reduce multiple gestations arising from fertility treatment.

METHODS: This study was a retrospective database review of clinic and embryology laboratory data for all patients undergoing IVF and ICSI cycles over a 4-year period. The investigators compared IVF and ICSI cycles before funding, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015, with cycles after funding, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

RESULTS: The number of cycles performed over a 2-year period increased from 554 to 853, of which 76.2% were funded. Patient age, BMI, and parity were similar before and after funding. Fewer patients receiving funded IVF or ICSI had had a previous cycle. Cycle cancellation rates were similar before and after funding; however, there were fewer embryo transfers per cycle start after funding (80.3% vs. 72.2%, P = 0.001). The clinical pregnancy rate was similar before and after funding (37.8% vs. 32.5%, P = 0.09), whereas the multiple gestation rate was significantly lower (13.1% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Since the government of Ontario began funding IVF and ICSI cycles, more patients are accessing treatment, many for the first time. The clinical pregnancy rate was maintained, whereas multiple gestations were significantly reduced. These findings support the benefit of single embryo transfer in the context of funded IVF and ICSI and demonstrate the importance of government-funded assisted reproductive technology.