The impact of the embryo banking on the cumulative live birth rate in women with poor ovarian response according to the Bologna criteria

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate the impact of embryo banking on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) and the time to live birth (TTLB) in poor ovarian responders (POR) according to the Bologna criteria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 276 infertile women undergoing IVF with POR were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups with (<em>n</em> = 121) or without (<em>n</em> = 155) embryo banking at the discretion of the attending physicians. A total of 656 and 405 stimulation cycles were started in the two groups respectively during the 24 month follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rate per transfer were comparable between two groups (<em>p</em> > 0.05). The CLBR was significantly lower in the banking group than in the non-banking group (31.4% (38/121) and 43.2% (67/151), <em>p</em> < 0.05). TTLB was significantly longer in the banking group (20.5 months vs. 16.0 months, <em>p</em> < 0.001). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the cumulative incidence of live birth was significantly lower in the banking group compared with the non-banking group (Log rank test, chi-square = 21.958, <em>p</em> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Embryo banking in women undergoing IVF with POR based on the Bologna criteria reduces CLBR and lengthens TTLB when compared with no embryo banking.</p>