Effect of Oxytocin Antagonists on Implantation Success Rates of Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer

Summary

Uterine contraction has a negative impact on implantation and pregnancy rates. Inhibition of oxytocin receptors decreases uterine contraction frequency both on pregnant and non-pregnant women. Atosiban has been studied as an oxytocin antagonist to decrease uterine contraction frequency in order to increase implantation and pregnancy rates in assisted reproduction. Previous studies have studied 37,5mg total dose which was used both before and during embryo transfer, and found atosiban to be effective in increasing implantation and pregnancy rates. We aim to use a single dose of 6,75mg atosiban before embryo transfer, in order to decrease the dose and cost and possibly introduce a simpler protocol. Our study will also be the first randomized clinical study which investigates the effect of atosiban on frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

Timeline

Start

2020-12-21

Primary completion

2021-07-30

Completion

2021-12-30

Publications

• Background Bossmar T, Akerlund M, Fantoni G, Szamatowicz J, Melin P, Maggi M. Receptors for and myometrial responses to oxytocin and vasopressin in preterm and term human pregnancy: effects of the oxytocin antagonist atosiban. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Dec;171(6):1634-42. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(94)90415-4.
• Background Mishra V, Agarwal H, Goel S, Roy P, Choudhary S, Lamba S. A Prospective Case-control Trial to Evaluate and Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Atosiban versus Placebo in In vitro Fertilization-embryo Transfer Program. J Hum Reprod Sci. 2018 Apr-Jun;11(2):155-160. doi: 10.4103/jhrs.JHRS_7_17.
• Background Kimura T, Tanizawa O, Mori K, Brownstein MJ, Okayama H. Structure and expression of a human oxytocin receptor. Nature. 1992 Apr 9;356(6369):526-9. doi: 10.1038/356526a0.
• Background Fanchin R, Righini C, Olivennes F, Taylor S, de Ziegler D, Frydman R. Uterine contractions at the time of embryo transfer alter pregnancy rates after in-vitro fertilization. Hum Reprod. 1998 Jul;13(7):1968-74. doi: 10.1093/humrep/13.7.1968.
• Background Lan VT, Khang VN, Nhu GH, Tuong HM. Atosiban improves implantation and pregnancy rates in patients with repeated implantation failure. Reprod Biomed Online. 2012 Sep;25(3):254-60. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.05.014. Epub 2012 Jun 16.
• Craciunas L, Tsampras N, Kollmann M, Raine-Fenning N, Choudhary M. Oxytocin antagonists for assisted reproduction. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Sep 1;9(9):CD012375. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012375.pub2.

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