Is There Any Effect of the Physician Performing Embryo Transfer in IVF-ICSI Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract Objective To evaluate whether there is an effect of the physician who transfers the embryos on pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) treatment. Methods A total of 757 participants were analyzed between 2012 and 2017. Participants were classified according to 3 physicians who transferred the embryos: ([group 1=164 patients]; [group 2=233 patients]; [group 3=360 patients]). Baseline parameters and IVF-ICSI outcomes were compared between the groups. Results No differences were determined between the groups regarding the baseline parameters (age, age subgroups [20-29, 30-39, and ≥ 40 years old)], body mass index (BMI), smoking status, infertility period, cause of infertility, baseline follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol (E2), thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin levels, antral follicle count, duration of stimulation, stimulation protocol, gonadotropin dose required, maximum E2 levels, progesterone levels, endometrial thickness on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and transfer days (p>0.05). The numbers of oocytes retrieved,metaphase II (MII), 2 pronucleus (2PN), transferred embryo, fertilization rate, day ofembryo transfer, the catheter effect and embryo transfer technique, and clinical pregnancy rates (CPRs) were also comparable between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion Our data suggests that the physician who transfers the embryos has no impact on CPRs in patients who have undergone IVF-ICSI, but further studies with more participants are required to elucidate this situation.

摘要
目的：探讨胚胎移植操作医师对体外受精-卵胞浆内单精子注射（in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection, IVF-ICSI）治疗周期的临床妊娠率是否存在影响。
方法：本研究纳入2012年至2017年间共计757例研究对象，根据实施胚胎移植操作的3名医师分为3组（组1：164例患者；组2：233例患者；组3：360例患者），比较各组间基线参数及IVF-ICSI治疗结局的差异。
结果：各组间基线参数均无统计学差异（P>0.05），包括年龄、年龄亚组（20~29岁、30~39岁及≥40岁）、体质量指数（BMI）、吸烟状况、不孕年限、不孕病因、基线卵泡刺激素、黄体生成素、雌二醇（E2）、促甲状腺激素、催乳素水平、窦卵泡计数、促排卵时长、促排卵方案、所需促性腺激素剂量、最高雌二醇水平、孕酮水平、人绒毛膜促性腺激素（human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG）注射日及胚胎移植日的子宫内膜厚度。各组间获卵数、MII期卵母细胞数、双原核（2PN）受精卵数、移植胚胎数、受精率、胚胎移植日、移植导管操作情况、胚胎移植技术及临床妊娠率（CPRs）均无统计学差异（P>0.05）。
结论：本研究数据表明，胚胎移植操作医师对IVF-ICSI治疗患者的临床妊娠率无显著影响，但仍需开展更大样本量的研究进一步阐明该结论。