Introduction: This study describes the results obtained with a small IVF/ICSI-transport programme carried out between a private specialist clinic and a public IVF-clinic.
Materials and methods: All women treated in the specialist clinic over a three and a half years period were entered. Ovarian stimulation, oocyte aspiration, and the follow-up after fertilisation were carried out in the specialist clinic, whereas fertilisation, culture and embryo transfer were performed in the public IVF clinic 25 km away. The oocytes were transported in an insulated box kept at 37 degrees C.
Results: Totally 314 stimulation cycles were performed with 68% IVF, 19% ICSI, and 13% cycles with cryopreserved oocytes (FER). The material comprises 259 oocyte aspirations with a total of 1969 oocytes, 1229 were fertilised. Oocyte and transfer-data are given in Table 2. The pregnancy rate was 29% for IVF and 27.1% for ICSI, but only 12.2% in FER.
Discussion: These results are consistent with that of other private and public IVF treatments in Denmark, where differences in population and oocyte handling are comparable (Table 3). As reported from the Netherlands, the UK, and Argentina (Table 4) transportation of oocytes does not seem to damage their potential for fertilisation and implantation.