Does Sexual Intercourse Affect the Outcomes of Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer?
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Sexual intercourse.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Embryo Transfer, Fertilization in Vitro, Coitus. Basic parameters: 18 years — 41 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Israel
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Does Sexual Intercourse Affect the Outcomes of Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer? Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether sexual intercourse the night after embryo transfer affects thawed embryo implantation rates. Women undergoing one of their first four frozen embryo transfers with a good quality embryo will be randomly assigned to two groups. The study group is subjected to have intercourse without using a condom at the evening/night after the embryo transfer, while the control group will abstain from intercourse for the next 48 hours after the transfer. Researchers will compare the ongoing pregnancy rates between the intervention group and the control group.
Detailed description
It is currently unclear whether sexual intercourse the night after embryo transfer, with or without semen ejaculation, is detrimental to thawed embryo implantation rates.
The following study is a prospective, randomized, clinical trial, including patients attending our university-affiliated Infertility and IVF center.
The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether coitus the night after embryo transfer affects thawed embryo implantation rates. At the day of the embryo transfer women (ages 18-41yrs) undergoing one of their first four frozen embryo transfers with a good quality embryo will be randomly assigned to two groups. The study group is subjected to have intercourse without using a condom at the evening/night after the embryo transfer, while the control group is subjected to abstain for the next 48 hours after the transfer.
The day after the embryo transfer an electronic questionnaire will be sent to the patients to confirm whether they had intercourse or not. The questionnaire will also address whether male ejaculation was performed intravaginally and whether female orgasm occurred.
12-14 days after the embryo transfer a BHCG serum test will be performed. For those patients with a negative BHCG test surveillance will be stopped. For those with a positive BCHG test a gynecologic US will be performed at week 6. After wards surveillance will cease for all participants. Researchers will compare the ongoing pregnancy rates between the intervention group and the control group.
Interventions
- Behavioral Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse without barrier contraceptive at the evening/night after the embryo transfer
Primary outcome measures
- Ongoing pregnancy rate [Time frame: At 6 week of gestation (4 weeks after embryo transfer)]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Biochemical pregnancy rate [Time frame: 12-14 days after the embryo transfer]
- Clinical pregnancy rate [Time frame: At 6 week of gestation (4 weeks after embryo transfer)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Women age 18-41yrs.
- BMI (body mass index) of 18-35 kg/m².
- Patients undergoing one of their first four frozen embryo transfers.
- Patients transferring a good quality embryo, either a cleavage stage embryo or a day 5 blastocyst.
Exclusion criteria
- Patients age above 42.
- Moderate or poor-quality embryos.
- Patients with hydrosalpinx or uterus malformations.
- Patients who are not able or are not interested in having vaginal intercourse (same sex couples for example).
- Couples undergoing preimplantation genetic diagnosis when natural cycle frozen embryo transfer is planned (as they are instructed to avoid intercourse).
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Other
Study locations
Israel · 1 center
- Sheba Medical Center — Ramat Gan
Publications
- Crawford G, Ray A, Gudi A, Shah A, Homburg R. The role of seminal plasma for improved outcomes during in vitro fertilization treatment: review of the literature and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2015 Mar-Apr;21(2):275-84. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmu052. Epub 2014 Oct 3. PMID 25281684
- Robertson SA, Sharkey DJ. Seminal fluid and fertility in women. Fertil Steril. 2016 Sep 1;106(3):511-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.07.1101. Epub 2016 Jul 30. PMID 27485480
- 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. PMID 9740459
- Saccone G, Di Spiezio Sardo A, Ciardulli A, Caissutti C, Spinelli M, Surbek D, von Wolff M. Effectiveness of seminal plasma in in vitro fertilisation treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG. 2019 Jan;126(2):220-225. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.15004. Epub 2017 Dec 6. PMID 29078039
- Hou JW, Yuan LH, Cao XL, Song JY, Sun ZG. Impact of sexual intercourse on frozen-thawed embryo transfer outcomes: a randomized controlled trial. Contracept Reprod Med. 2023 Mar 2;8(1):19. doi: 10.1186/s40834-023-00218-y. PMID 36859338
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06134609 · SMC-0653-23