Incidence of first trimester pregnancy loss in the infertile population during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in New York City.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the incidence of first trimester clinical pregnancy loss in the infertile population during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.

DESIGN

Web-based cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

New York City-based academic reproductive medicine practice.

PATIENTS

A total of 305 infertile patients with a confirmed intrauterine pregnancy in their first trimester between December 1, 2019, and April 1, 2020, were matched by age and treatment type to pregnant patients from the year prior.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

First trimester clinical pregnancy loss rate.

RESULTS

In total, the first trimester pregnancy loss rate was lower in the COVID-19 era cohort compared with that in the pre-COVID-19 era cohort (11.9% vs. 20.1%). There was no difference between cohorts in the pregnancy loss rate of women conceiving via fresh embryo transfer (19.6% vs. 24.4%) or via frozen embryo transfer with preimplantation genetic testing (5.4% vs. 9.5%,). In women conceiving via frozen embryo transfer without preimplantation genetic testing, the pregnancy loss rate was statistically lower in the COVID-19 group (12.5% vs. 24.5%). There was no difference in the pregnancy loss rate by treatment type when stratifying by COVID-19 testing or symptom status. Of the 40 (13.1%) patients with a pregnancy loss, there was no difference in self-reported COVID-19 symptoms or symptom type compared with results in those who did not experience a pregnancy loss.

CONCLUSION

Despite patients expressing significant worry about COVID-19 and pregnancy, our data provides reassuring information that the first trimester pregnancy loss rate is not elevated for women conceiving via assisted reproductive technology during the global COVID-19 pandemic.