Dichorionic triplets following frozen-thawed poor-stage embryo transfer: a report of two cases and a review

• Main Authors: Atsushi Yanaihara (Author), Shirei Ohgi (Author), Kenichirou Motomura (Author), Ryoma Taniguchi (Author), Shota Hatakeyama (Author), Takumi Yanaihara (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2017-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.1186/s12958-017-0302-1; 1477-7827
• Keywords: Dichorionic triplet; IVF; Cleavage stage embryo transfer; Blastocyst transfer; Gynecology and obstetrics; RG1-991; Reproduction; QH471-489
• Source: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-5 (2017)

Abstract Background We describe two cases of dichorionic triplet pregnancy after a frozen-thawed poor-stage embryo transfer. Main body of the abstract A 39-year-old and a 41-year-old woman underwent ART treatment. The first patient underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at 34 years of age, and two frozen-thawed poor-stage embryos were transferred at 39 years of age with assisted hatching, resulting in a trichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy. The second patient underwent ICSI, and two poor-grade blastocysts were transferred followed by assisted hatching, resulting in a dichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy. In the first case, the heartbeat of one monozygotic twin fetus had stopped on day 48 post-transfer (9 weeks 2 days), resulting in a dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy. A healthy boy and girl were delivered by elective caesarean section at 36 weeks, 5-days gestation. In the second case, the patient underwent selective reduction of the monochorionic twins, resulting in a single pregnancy that was vaginally delivered without any problems at 38 weeks 0-days gestation. Short conclusions Numerous factors may be associated with the development of a monochorionic pregnancy; however, controversies still remain. The present morphological grading for embryos is insufficient for inhibiting the development of a monochorionic pregnancy.