Similar pregnancy outcomes from fresh and frozen donor oocytes transferred to gestational carriers: a SART database analysis isolating the effects of oocyte vitrification

This work aimed to study clinical and neonatal outcomes of embryos derived from frozen compared to fresh donor oocytes in gestational carrier cycles.

This is a retrospective cohort study using the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System database between 2014 and 2015, comprising of 1284 fresh transfer cycles to gestational carrier recipients of embryos resulting from fresh (n = 1119) and vitrified/thawed (n = 165) donor oocytes. Models were adjusted for gestational carrier age, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A), number of embryos transferred, multiple gestation, and fetal heart reduction. As our models were part of a larger analysis, intended parent BMI, smoking status, and parity were also adjusted for, but did not influence outcomes in this analysis.

There was no significant difference in probability of live birth rates when comparing embryos derived from fresh and frozen donor oocytes in gestational carrier cycles. There were also no significant differences in biochemical pregnancy losses or clinical miscarriage. There were no significant differences noted in low birthweight or high birthweight infants derived from fresh versus frozen donor oocyte after transfer into a gestational carrier.

The analysis of fresh and frozen donor oocytes in gestational carrier cycles provides the opportunity to assess for a possible effect of vitrification on the oocyte by controlling for differences in the uterine environment. We observed no significant differences in live birth, pregnancy loss, low birthweight or high birthweight infants when comparing fresh and frozen donor oocytes in gestational carrier cycles.