Early pregnancy wastage after gamete manipulation.

The outcome of 1034 pregnancies in women who conceived after referral for infertility management in seven treatment groups is detailed. The mean early pregnancy wastage (before 20 weeks gestation) was 27% and ranged from 18% after AID (artificial insemination by donor semen) to 33% after IVF-ET (in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer). These differences were not due to maternal age which was similar in all groups (means between 29.7 and 32.7 years). Excluding the AID group, there was a high rate of ectopic pregnancy which was significantly higher after GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and was only partly related to underlying tubal disease. Blighted ova was the main category of early pregnancy loss and was highest after AIH (artificial insemination by husband's semen). There was a higher rate of biochemical pregnancies after GIFT, PROST (pronuclear stage tubal transfer) and IVF-ET. Our findings confirm a high pregnancy wastage rate in subfertile women and highlight deficiencies in the sperm separation, gamete handling and IVF/embryo culture techniques.