The Impact of Post Embryo Transfer SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Pregnancy in In Vitro Fertilization: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Li Xue-Fei , Zhang Yong-Jia , Yao Ying-Ling , Chen Ming-Xing , Wang Li-Li , Wang Meng-Di , Hu Xin-Yue , Tang Xiao-Jun , Zhong Zhao-Hui , Fu Li-Juan , Luo Xin , Lv Xing-Yu , Geng Li-Hong , Wan Qi , Ding Yu-Bin 
Published: July 2023

Importance

Limited knowledge exists on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection after embryo transfer, despite an increasing number of studies exploring the impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection on IVF outcomes.

Objective

This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection at various time stages after embryo transfer on pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing conventional in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI) treatment.

Design

The study was conducted at a single public IVF center in China.

Setting

This was a population-based prospective cohort study.

Participants

Female patients aged 20 to 39 years, with a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m2, undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, were enrolled from September 2022 to December 2022, with follow-up until March 2023.

Exposure

The pregnancy outcome of patients was compared between those SARS-CoV-2-infected after embryo transfer and those noninfected during the follow-up period.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The pregnancy outcomes included biochemical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and early miscarriage rate.

Results

A total of 857 female patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment were included in the analysis. We observed the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection within 10 weeks after embryo transfer. The biochemical pregnancy rate and implantation rate were lower in the infected group than the uninfected group (58.1% vs 65.9%; 36.6% vs 44.0%, respectively), but no statistically significant. Although, the clinical pregnancy rate was significant lower in the infection group when compared with the uninfected group (49.1%vs 58.2%, p < 0.05), after adjustment for confounders, this increased risk was no longer significant between the two groups (adjusted OR, 0.736, 95% CI, 0.518-1.046). With continued follow-up, a slightly higher risk of early miscarriage in the infected group compared to the uninfected group (9.3% vs 8.8%), but it was not significant (adjusted OR, 0.907, 95% CI, 0.414-1.986).

Conclusions and Relevance

The study’s findings suggested that SARS-CoV-2 infection within 10 weeks after embryo transfer may have not significantly affect pregnancy outcomes. This evidence allays concerns and provides valuable insights for assisted reproduction practices.

Key points

Question

Did the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after embryo transfer affect pregnancy outcomes?

Findings

In this prospective cohort study involving 857 patients, we made a pioneering discovery that SARS-CoV-2 infection following embryo transfer did not exhibit adverse impact on the biochemical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and early miscarriage rate.

Meaning

The evidence from this study alleviates existing concerns and offers new insights into the actual risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection after embryo transfer in assisted reproduction.