Assessing preferences for elective frozen versus fresh embryo transfer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing preferences of women and their partners for factors that differentiate elective frozen versus fresh embryo transfer in IVF
IRAS ID
228822
Contact name
Abha Maheshwari
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
18/NS/0001, REC ; researchregistry3379, Research Registry Unique Identifying Number:
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 16 days
Research summary
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is used to treat couples with prolonged unresolved infertility. The procedure involves hormonal treatment of a womanfollowed by a minor surgical procedure to retrieve eggs and mix them with sperm in the laboratory to create embryos. Conventionally, one or two embryos are replaced within the uterus after 3-5 days of culture in the laboratory and the remainder frozen for future use. There is now some evidence to suggest that freezing all embryos and replacing them 6- 8 weeks later, once all effects of hormonal stimulation have subsided, could be safer for a woman whilst also improving her chances of having a healthy baby . However,any potential health gains need to be balanced against any delay in achieving pregnancy which is a priority for most IVF patients.
The aim of this study is to use an anonymous questionnaire to explore the preferences of men and women undergoing fertility treatment for elective frozen (deferred) versus fresh (early) embryo transfer in in-vitro fertilisation.REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
18/NS/0001
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion