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There are numerous studies concerning pregnancy rates in oocyte donation, yet only a handful report the obstetric outcome in such pregnancies. The purpose of this study was to assess factors that influence pregnancy rates, to determine the incidence of complications, and to evaluate obstetric outcome in pregnancies resulting from oocyte donation. This study included 423 oocyte recipients who underwent 1001 oocyte donation cycles at the Oocyte Donation Programme, In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)-Embryo Transfer Unit, Herzlia Medical Center, Israel. Donors were all healthy women lt;34 years old who underwent IVF themselves. In 873 cycles, fertilization occurred and embryo transfer was performed, resulting in 194 clinical pregnancies. Pregnancy rates (PR) significantly declined with the increase in number of previous attempts, and with increasing age of recipient (36.8%/embryo transfer in patients 30 compared to 17.8% in patients >40 years old). A significant increment in PR was noted with the increasing number of embryos transferred. The overall PR was 22.2%/embryo transfer. However, in young amenorrhoeic patients with normal karyotypes undergoing their first cycle, PR was 52.2%; the 'take home baby' rate was 38.3% per patient undergoing embryo transfer and 17.8% per embryo transfer cycle. A significant increase in the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension and a higher proportion of abortions were noted in older patients. A significantly higher incidence of prematurity and low birthweight was observed in multiple pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During a 5.5 year period, 309 clinical pregnancies were recorded in our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) unit. A single gestational sac was identified by early ultrasonography in 233 patients, while in 76 others, multiple gestational sacs were noted. ‘Take-home baby’ rate, in patients in whom multiple sacs were observed, was higher than that in patients with a single sac. Delivery of at least one live newborn occurred in only 73.8% of patients with a single sac, compared with 93.3% and 91.7% in patients with two and three gestational sacs, respectively. Conversely, the early and late abortion rates were decreased in patients with multiple sacs. Embryonic implantation rate, defined as the ratio of gestational sacs observed to the number of embryos transferred, was found to be a valuable prognostic factor for a live delivery, and can serve as a tool in assaying the prognosis of pregnancy detected by early sonography. The observation of a higher ‘take-home baby’ rate in cases with multiple sacs identified by ultrasound and with higher embryonic implantation rate, might be the result of a better embryo quality and/or improved uterine receptivity, promoted by a favourable hormonal milieu or by as yet unknown endometrial factors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]