SET combined with chromosome screening leads to lower costs

Single embryo transfer (SET) and comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) can result in equivalent delivery rates, healthier babies, and lower costs, according to research presented at the 69th Annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Investigators from Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey looked at a subset (n = 25) of patients who had participated in an earlier clinical trial of blastocyst euploid selective transfer. The trial compared successful pregnancy rates between women who had undergone SET with CCS and those who had undergone double embryo transfer (DET).

A review of the subset showed that 0% of the women who had undergone SET plus CCS had multiples, while 48% of women with DET had. The incidence of low birth weight was reduced to 4.4% for SET and 34.8% for DET, and preterm delivery to 8.9% (SET) and 28.3% (DET).

Risk of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission was 11% in the SET-plus-CCS group versus 26% in the DET group, and the average NICU stay was significantly shorter in the SET-plus-CCS group (8 days) compared to the DET group (25 days).

Women who underwent DET were found to spend nearly $20,000 more in total delivery costs than women who underwent SET plus CCS. While SET plus CCS was associated with higher laboratory procedure costs ($21,475 vs $16,533), average total charges through 28 days post-delivery were significantly lower among SET plus CCS patients ($49,269) than in DET patients ($73,607).

Forman EJ, Hong KH, Werner MD, Singer SA, Benson MR, Scott RT Jr. Reducing the burden of ART care: single blastocyst transfer after comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) provides equivalent delivery rates, eliminates twins and lowers global health care costs. Fertil Steril. 2013;100(3):S43.