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ICSI Versus Conventional IVF in Non-male Factor Couples

The Effectiveness of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Versus Conventional in Vitro Fertilization in Couples With Non-male Factor Infertility: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03428919
Enrollment
1064
Registered
2018-02-12
Start date
2018-03-16
Completion date
2020-08-12
Last updated
2020-10-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Infertility

Keywords

ICSI, Conventional IVF, Non-male factor

Brief summary

Conventionally, ICSI was initially developed and has been shown to be an effective treatment for male factor infertility. It is increasingly being used for patients without a male factor diagnosis, despite the lack of clinical evidence to support its use. Moreover, ICSI is an invasive and expensive procedure. This multi-center, randomized, controlled, parallel-group trial will be conducted to compare the effectiveness of ICSI versus conventional IVF in infertile couples scheduled for IVF treatment, in whom the male partner has normal sperm.

Detailed description

All patients undergoing IVF/ICSI will be treated with a GnRH antagonist protocol. Recombinant FSH (Puregon, MSD) will be given on day 2 or day 3 of menstrual cycle for 5 days. The starting dose is individualized for each patient based on the following criteria: AMH \<0.7 ng/mL, dose 300 IU/day; AMH 0.7-2.1 ng/mL, dose 200 IU/day; AMH \>2.1 ng/mL, dose 150 IU/day. After that, investigators can titrate the dose based on their clinical judgment. Follicular development will be monitored by ultrasound scanning and measurement of estradiol and progesterone levels, starting on day 5 of stimulation. Scanning and hormonal measurement will be repeated every 2 to 3 days, depending on the size of follicles. An antagonist is routinely used on day 5 until the day of triggering. Criteria for triggering, by hCG (Ovitrelle 250 mg, Merck, Germany) will be the presence of at least three leading follicles of 17 mm. In women with excessive follicular response (≥15 follicles ≥12 mm), 0,2 mg Triptorelin (Diphereline, Ipsen Beaufour, France) will be used when there are at least two leading follicles of 17 mm. Oocyte retrieval will be performed 36 hours after triggering. Randomization and allocation of participants to study groups will be performed on the day of egg pick up, after having obtained the semen from the husband. Eligible participants that have provided informed consent will be randomised to either ICSI or conventional IVF. In ICSI group, insemination will be performed by using ICSI, 3 - 4 hours after oocyte retrieval. OCCs will be stripped by using hyaluronidase. Only matured oocytes will be inseminated. In conventional IVF group, insemination will be performed by conventional IVF. Two hours after retrieval, collected OCCs will be inseminated for another 2 hours, at a concentration of 100,000 motile sperm/ml. Inseminated OCCs will be cultured overnight in culture medium. In both groups, fertilization check will be performed under inverted microscope at period of 16-18 hours after insemination. On day 3, embryo evaluation will be performed at fixed time point 66±2 hours after fertilization, using the Istanbul consensus. Embryo transfer will be performed on day 3 under ultrasound guidance. A maximum of 2 embryos will be transferred into the uterus. The remaining grade 1 and 2 embryos will be frozen. Luteal-phase support will be done with estradiol (Valiera 2mg) 8mg/day and vaginal progesterone 800mg/day (Cyclogest 400mg) until 7th week of gestation. If there are contra-indications for fresh embryo transfer, a freeze-all strategy will be applied, using Cryotech technique. Indications for freeze-all include: risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), premature progesterone rise (≥1.5 ng/ml), thin endometrium (\<7 mm), fluid in cavity on day of embryo transfer, endometrial polyp, hydrosalpinx that have not removed before oocyte retrieval. In the next cycle, endometrium will be prepared by using estradiol (Valiera 2 mg, 8 mg/day) orally, starting from day 2-3 of menstrual cycle. When the endometrium thickness reaches 8 mm or more, patients will start using progesterone vaginally (Cyclogest 400 mg, 800 mg/day). Embryo transfer will be performed 3 days after using progesterone. On the day of embryo transfer, embryos will be thawed. In the frozen/thawed cycle, the best embryos will be utilized first, as in fresh transfer. Two hours after thawing, a maximum of 2 surviving embryos will be transferred into the uterus under ultrasound guidance. Luteal phase support will be provided with estradiol (Valiera 2mg) 8mg/day and vaginal progesterone 800 mg/day (Cyclogest 400 mg) until the seventh week of gestation. In both groups, clinicians who perform embryo transfer, either fresh or frozen cycles, will be blinded to the intervention. A serum hCG will be measured 2 weeks after embryo transferred, and if positive, an ultrasound scan of the uterus will be performed at gestational weeks 7 and 12. At 11 - 12 weeks of gestation, participants will be referred to the Outpatient clininc, O&G Department, My Duc hospital or An Sinh hospital for prenatal care until giving birth.

Interventions

PROCEDUREICSI

In ICSI group, insemination will be performed by using ICSI, 3 - 4 hours after oocyte retrieval. OCCs will be stripped by using hyaluronidase. Only matured oocytes will be inseminated.

PROCEDUREIVF

In IVF group, insemination will be performed by conventional IVF. Two hours after retrieval, collected OCCs will be inseminated for another 2 hours, at a concentration of 100,000 motile sperm/ml. Inseminated OCCs will be cultured overnight in culture medium.

Sponsors

An Sinh Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Mỹ Đức Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Having ≤ 2 IVF/ICSI cycles * Total sperm count and motility are normal (WHO, 2010) * Antagonist protocol * Agree to have ≤ 2 embryos transferred * Not participating in another IVF study at the same time

Exclusion criteria

* In-vitro maturation (IVM) cycles * Using frozen semen * Poor fertilization in previous cycle (≤ 25%)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Ongoing pregnancy resulting in live birth after the first embryo transfer of the started treatment cycle.At 12 weeks of gestationLive birth is defined as the birth of at least one newborn after 24 weeks' gestation that exhibits any sign of life (twin will be a single count). For the timing of this occur, ongoing pregnancy will be used, conditional on the fact that this ongoing pregnancy results in live birth.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fertilization rate per oocyte retrievedAt 16-18 hours after injected or 17-19 hours after inseminatedFertilization is defined as the appearance of 2 PN
Abnormal fertilization rateAt 16-18 hours after injected or 17-19 hours after inseminatedAbnormal fertilization is defined as the appearance of 1PN or ≥3 PN
Total fertilization failure rateAt 16-18 hours after injected or 17-19 hours after inseminatedTotal fertilization is defined as the absence of any zygotes with 2PN
Number of embryos on day 33 days after oocytes pick-up day in IVF/ICSINumber of embryos on day 3
Number of good quality embryo on day 33 days after oocytes pick-up day in IVF/ICSINumbers of embryos on day 3 with good quality
Number of embryo freezing on day 33 days after oocytes pick-up day in IVF/ICSINumber of embryos freezing on day 3
Positive pregnancy test14 days after embryo transferPositive pregnancy test is defined as a serum human chorionic gonadotropin level greater than 25 mIU/mL after the completion of the first transfer
Clinical pregnancyAt 7 weeks' gestationClinical pregnancy is defined as the presence of at least one gestational sac on ultrasound at 7 weeks' gestation with the detection of heart beat activity, after the completion of the first transfer
Implantation rateAt 3 weeks after embryo transferredImplantation rate is defined as the number of gestational sacs per number of embryos transferred after the completion of the first transfer
Ongoing pregnancyAt 12 weeks' gestationOngoing pregnancy is defined as pregnancy with detectable heart rate at 12 weeks' gestation or beyond, after the completion of the first transfer
Cumulative ongoing pregnancyAt 12 weeks' gestation at 12 months after randomization. After 12 months, most patients doing IVF have finished all their frozen embryos; therefore, we consider this time point for analyzing the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate.Ongoing pregnancy is defined as pregnancy with detectable heart rate at 12 weeks' gestation or beyond, after transfer of all embryos from the started treatment cycle.
Ongoing pregnancy resulting in live birth obtained from all embryos from the first started treatment cycle12 weeks of gestation at 12 months after randomizationLive birth is defined as the birth of at least one newborn after 24 weeks' gestation that exhibits any sign of life (twin will be a single count).
Time from randomization to ongoing pregnancy12 weeks of gestation after the completion of first transferTime from randomization to ongoing pregnancy after the completion of the first transfer
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)At 10 days after hCG injection and 14 days after embryo transferSymptoms of OHSS
Ectopic pregnancyAt 12 weeks of gestation after the completion of the first transferA pregnancy in which implantation takes place outside the uterine cavity after completion of the first transfer
MiscarriageAt 24 weeks of gestation after the completion of the first transferThe loss of a clinical pregnancy at 24 weeks of gestation after the completion of the first transfer
Multiple pregnancy7 weeks' gestation after the completion of the first transferMultiple pregnancy is explained as two or more gestational sacs or positive heart beats by transvaginal sonography, after the completion of the first transfer
Multiple deliveryAt birth, after the completion of the first transferMultiple delivery is defined as birth of more than one baby beyond 24 weeks, after the completion of the first transfer
Fertilization rate per oocyte inseminated/injectedAt 16-18 hours after injected or 17-19 hours after inseminatedFertilization is defined as the appearance of 2 PN
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancyFrom 20 weeks of gestation up to at birth after the completion of the first transferHypertensive disorders of pregnancy will include pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH); pre-eclampsia (PET) and eclampsia)
Antepartum haemorrhageFrom 20 weeks of gestation up to at birth, after the completion of the first transferIncluding placenta previa, placenta accreta and unexplained
Gestational age at deliveryAt birth, after the completion of the first transferGestational age at delivery
Preterm deliveryAt birth, after the completion of the first transferPreterm delivery is defined as any delivery at \<24, \<28, \<32, \<37 completed weeks' gestation
Spontaneous preterm birthAt birth, after the completion of the first transferSpontaneous preterm birth is defined as delivery spontaneously at \<24, \<28, \<32, \<37 completed weeks
Iatrogenic preterm birthAt birth, after the completion of the first transferIatrogenic preterm birth is defined as delivery non-spontaneously at \<24, \<28, \<32, \<37 completed weeks
Birth weightAt birth, after the completion of the first transferWeight of newborn
Low birth weightAt birth, after the completion of the first transferLow birth weight is defined as \<2500 gm
Very low birth weightAt birth, after the completion of the first transferVery low birth weight is defined as \<1500 gm
High birth weightAt birth, after the completion of the first transferHigh birth weight is defined as \>4000 gm
Very high birth weightAt birth, after the completion of the first transferVery high birth weight is defined as \>4500 gm
Large for gestational ageAt birth, after the completion of the first transferLarge for gestational age is defined as birth weight \>90th percentile
Small for gestational ageAt birth, after the completion of the first transferSmall for gestational age is defined as birth weight \<10th percentile
Congenital anomaly diagnosed at birthAt birth, after the completion of the first transferAny congenital anomaly will be included
Admission to NICU7 days after delivery after the completion of the first transferThe admittance of the newborn to NICU
Genetic and epigenetic analysis of newborn1 day (Prior to the initiation of IVF/IVM) and 1 day ( at the time of delivery)Maternal whole blood; newborn's materials including cord blood, neonatal buccal smear, and placental tissue will be collected. Data will be collected for a supplementary analysis and will be reported in a separated paper.
Cost-effectivenessTwo year after randomizationIncluding direct and indirect costs; costs related to complications treatment. Cost data will be collected for a supplementary analysis and will be reported in a separated paper.
Gestational diabetes mellitusAt 24 weeks of gestation after the completion of the first transferDevelopment of diabetes during pregnancy

Countries

Vietnam

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 3, 2026