AI Ultrasound Based Clinical Decision Making, Without Blood Hormone Levels during IVf Stimulation

CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION MONITORING BY AI ULTRASOUND ALONE VERSUS AI ULTRASOUND AND HORMONAL LEVELS.

Link to Abstract

Authors: John A. Schnorr, M.D.,1 Jessica E. McLaughlin, MD,1 Carrie Riestenberg, MD,1 Andrea M. Peterson, BS, MD, MSCR,2 Heather Marie Cook, M.D.1

Affiliations: (1) Coastal Fertility Specialists, Mount Pleasant, SC, USA; 

Objective: To determine whether cycle monitoring using both AI ultrasound, serum E2, and P4 yields a superior outcome compared with monitoring with AI ultrasound alone.

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 858 patients at Coastal Fertility Specialists undergoing conventional ART ovarian stimulations with GnRH antagonists, and GnRH agonist triggers in freeze all cycles. In all patients monitoring visits were performed with day 4 estradiol and Cycle Clarity follicular ultrasound, E2 and P4 on days 6, 8, 10. In the study group, 89 consecutive cycles were performed with the reviewing physician blinded to hormone results on days 6, 8 and 10. A backup safety physician reviewed results and intervened if concerns about the stimulation decisions existed.

Result(s): 858 patients underwent 858 ART cycles resulting in oocyte retrieval. Clinical and laboratory results are outlined in table 1. All patients in both groups had oocytes retrieved. There was no difference in the number of oocytes, mature oocytes, embryos or blastocyst embryos between the two groups. There were no cases in which the back up safety physician intervened. There were no cases of ovarian hyperstimulation.

Conclusion(s): Themonitoringofinvitro fertilization freeze all cycles with GnRHagonisttriggerswithultrasoundalonecomparedwithultrasound, E2 and P4 on day 6, 8 and 10 resulted in the same laboratory outcomes and maybe a solution to lower cost and add patient convenience.

Impact Statement: Ultrasound only in vitro fertilization monitoring may be a way to lower patient cost and add patient convenience.