- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT04507022
The Outcome of Two Protocols Used to Prepare Endometrium for Frozen Embryo Transfer
A Randomized Controlled Study to Compare the Outcome of Two Protocols Used to Prepare the Endometrium for Frozen Embryo Transfer
Study Overview
Status
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
Receptive endometrium and a good quality embryo at the blastocyst developmental stage are prerequisites for a successful implantation to occur. Blastocyst freezing techniques and survival have witnessed huge improvements in the last years. Trials to improve the outcome of frozen embryo transfer (FET) are not to be stopped. The transfer of a good quality blastocyst represents a vital part of the process. Optimization of endometrial receptivity and implantation is an everlasting challenge.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is now proven to be successful for preparation of the endometrium to receive the vitrified warmed embryos. Most HRT protocols give estradiol (E2) first to reach a satisfactory endometrial thickness, then followed by progesterone to mimic the natural cycles. E2 is mostly given for 10 to 14 days and this duration might be prolonged to reach a satisfactory endometrial thickness without adversely affecting the outcome. Trans-vaginal ultrasound assessment of the endometrial thickness before the start of P supplementation has been traditionally used to predict FET cycle outcome. Clinical pregnancy rates (CPR) and live birth rates (LBR) were found to decrease for each millimetre of endometrial thickness below 7 mm. Endometrial thickness however of 9 mm was reported to be among major factors affecting LBR after FET in a large set of data.
Further, there is a recent concept that endometrial compaction (decreased thickness) between the end of estrogen phase and the day of ET has favorable impact on the outcome of FET. Different modalities were proposed to enhance endometrial compaction. One of these modalities was to decrease the dose of estrogen so as to change the estrogen- progesterone ratio as well as help in preventing further endometrial growth.
Aromatase inhibitor (AI) can be used to decrease estrogen before starting P supplementation. Additionally, there were also reports that their use had been associated with improved implantation. It appears interesting to combine the easy scheduled HRT protocol with aromatase inhibitor to maximize FET outcome.
This proposed protocol has not been tested before. In current study, HRT plus AI will be compared with HRT only. In both groups, daily intramuscular P will be given for luteal support as it was shown to give the highest ongoing pregnancy rate in FET cycles.
We did a secondary follow up analysis of some exploratory outcomes (not preregistered). These outcomes were analyzed after publication and they include Live birth rate, implantation rate, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, large for gestation and congenital anomalies. The results of these outcomes are planned to be presented elsewhere. For openness and transparency, we felt the importance to report this follow up in the registry.
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Phase
- Phase 4
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
-
-
Sharkia
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Zagazig, Sharkia, Egypt, 44519
- Rahem fertility center
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-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:Inclusion criteria:
- Women aged from18 - 37 years old undergoing FET using good quality blastocysts vitrified on day 5(3 BB and more) (according to Gardner and Schoolcraft 1999) (8).
- Participants having at least one good quality blastocyst (3BB and more) available for transfer after warming.
- Participants having trilaminar endometrium of 9 mm after E2 preparation.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Women younger than 18 or older than 37 years old.
- Women who have uterine abnormality or pathology.
- Women who will not meet the inclusion criteria.
- Women who will refuse to participate in in the study.
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: HRT Plus Aromatase Inhibitor
Hormone replacement treatment (HRT) will be used in all cases. Exogenous estradiol will be started on day 2 or 3 of the cycle. In all participants, 2 mg oral estradiol valerate, will be administered three times daily. Ultrasound evaluation of endometrium will be performed 10 to 12 days after starting E2. Trilaminar endometrium of 9 mm will be the targeted cutoff . If not yet ready, E2 supplementation will be continued with serial US assessment until the desired cutoff is achieved. Thereafter, participants will be randomized to two groups: Group A (HRT plus AI): will be given aromatase inhibitor for 5 days only (2.5 mg twice daily), along with the oral 6 mg E2. Then, daily intramuscular (IM) P in oil (100 mg IM P) will be started in addition to the daily dose of oral 6 mg E2. In both groups, embryos will be warmed on the 6th day of P supplementation. Before undergoing FET, endometrial thickness will be re-evaluated. IM P and 6mg E2 will be continued thereafter. |
2mg three times daily
100 mg daily intramuscular
2.5 mg twice daily for 5 days
|
Active Comparator: HRT Only
Hormone replacement treatment (HRT) will be used in all cases. Exogenous estradiol will be started on day 2 or 3 of the cycle. In all participants, 2 mg oral estradiol valerate, will be administered three times daily. Ultrasound evaluation of endometrium will be performed 10 to 12 days after starting E2. Trilaminar endometrium of 9 mm will be the targeted cutoff . If not yet ready, E2 supplementation will be continued with serial US assessment until the desired cutoff is achieved. Thereafter, participants will be randomized to two groups Group B (HRT only): will be administered daily intramuscular (IM) P in oil (100 mg IM P) in addition to the daily dose of oral 6 mg E2. In both groups, embryos will be warmed on the 6th day of P supplementation. Before undergoing FET, endometrial thickness will be re-evaluated. IM P and 6mg E2 will be continued thereafter. |
2mg three times daily
100 mg daily intramuscular
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Ongoing Pregnancy Rate
Time Frame: at 12 weeks of gestation
|
visualization of fetal cardiac pulsation by ultrasound
|
at 12 weeks of gestation
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
endometrial compaction
Time Frame: from the end of estradiol phase to the day of embryo transfer up to 11 days
|
change in endometrial thickness
|
from the end of estradiol phase to the day of embryo transfer up to 11 days
|
clinical pregnancy rate
Time Frame: 6 weeks gestation
|
visualization of fetal cardiac pulsation by ultrasound
|
6 weeks gestation
|
Live birth rate
Time Frame: 24 weeks
|
The birth of at least one newborn that exhibits any sign of life
|
24 weeks
|
Implantation rate
Time Frame: 6 weeks gestation
|
The number of gestational sacs observed divided by the number of embryos transferred expressed as a percentage, %
|
6 weeks gestation
|
Number of participants with Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Time Frame: 20 weeks gestation till postpartum
|
gestational hypertension or preeclampsia
|
20 weeks gestation till postpartum
|
Number of participants with Large for gestational age
Time Frame: from gestation till delivery]
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A birth weight greater than the 90th centile of the sex-specific birth weight for a given gestational age reference.
|
from gestation till delivery]
|
Rate of Congenital anomalies
Time Frame: during pregnancy and after birth (one month after birth)
|
Structural or functional disorders that occur during intra-uterine life and can be identified prenatally, at birth or later in life.
|
during pregnancy and after birth (one month after birth)
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Mackens S, Santos-Ribeiro S, van de Vijver A, Racca A, Van Landuyt L, Tournaye H, Blockeel C. Frozen embryo transfer: a review on the optimal endometrial preparation and timing. Hum Reprod. 2017 Nov 1;32(11):2234-2242. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dex285.
- Sekhon L, Feuerstein J, Pan S, Overbey J, Lee JA, Briton-Jones C, Flisser E, Stein DE, Mukherjee T, Grunfeld L, Sandler B, Copperman AB. Endometrial preparation before the transfer of single, vitrified-warmed, euploid blastocysts: does the duration of estradiol treatment influence clinical outcome? Fertil Steril. 2019 Jun;111(6):1177-1185.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.02.024. Epub 2019 Apr 24.
- Liu KE, Hartman M, Hartman A, Luo ZC, Mahutte N. The impact of a thin endometrial lining on fresh and frozen-thaw IVF outcomes: an analysis of over 40 000 embryo transfers. Hum Reprod. 2018 Oct 1;33(10):1883-1888. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dey281.
- Pan Y, Hao G, Wang Q, Liu H, Wang Z, Jiang Q, Shi Y, Chen ZJ. Major Factors Affecting the Live Birth Rate After Frozen Embryo Transfer Among Young Women. Front Med (Lausanne). 2020 Mar 24;7:94. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00094. eCollection 2020.
- Haas J, Smith R, Zilberberg E, Nayot D, Meriano J, Barzilay E, Casper RF. Endometrial compaction (decreased thickness) in response to progesterone results in optimal pregnancy outcome in frozen-thawed embryo transfers. Fertil Steril. 2019 Sep;112(3):503-509.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.05.001. Epub 2019 Jun 24.
- Devine K, Richter KS, Widra EA, McKeeby JL. Vitrified blastocyst transfer cycles with the use of only vaginal progesterone replacement with Endometrin have inferior ongoing pregnancy rates: results from the planned interim analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled noninferiority trial. Fertil Steril. 2018 Feb;109(2):266-275. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.11.004. Epub 2018 Jan 17.
- Miller PB, Parnell BA, Bushnell G, Tallman N, Forstein DA, Higdon HL 3rd, Kitawaki J, Lessey BA. Endometrial receptivity defects during IVF cycles with and without letrozole. Hum Reprod. 2012 Mar;27(3):881-8. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der452. Epub 2012 Jan 13.
- Gardner DK, Schoolcraft WB. Culture and transfer of human blastocysts. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 1999 Jun;11(3):307-11. doi: 10.1097/00001703-199906000-00013.
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Actual)
Primary Completion (Actual)
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Infertility
- Infertility, Female
- Infertility, Male
- Physiological Effects of Drugs
- Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
- Enzyme Inhibitors
- Hormones
- Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists
- Estrogens
- Hormone Antagonists
- Steroid Synthesis Inhibitors
- Estrogen Antagonists
- Contraceptive Agents, Hormonal
- Contraceptive Agents
- Reproductive Control Agents
- Contraceptive Agents, Female
- Progestins
- Estradiol
- Progesterone
- Estradiol 17 beta-cypionate
- Estradiol 3-benzoate
- Polyestradiol phosphate
- Aromatase Inhibitors
Other Study ID Numbers
- RFC041120190008
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.
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