Effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma intrauterine perfusion on clinical outcomes in recurrent implantation failure patients with non-thin endometrium undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) intrauterine perfusion on clinical outcomes in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) patients with non-thin endometrium undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), and the effects of PRP used at different times before FET on clinical outcomes.

Methods: A total of 160 RIF patients with non-thin endometrium undergoing FET were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 82 patients received PRP intrauterine perfusion at 24-72 h before FET (PRP group), and 78 patients did not (non-PRP group). In PRP group, 59 patients underwent PRP at 24-48 h before FET (≥ 24 to  ≤ 48 h group), and 23 patients was at 48-72 h (> 48 to  ≤ 72 h group). The clinical outcomes were compared, including β-hCG positive rate, clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, abortion rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, live birth rate and the incidence of adverse events.

Results: The clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate and live birth rate in PRP group were significantly higher than those in non-PRP group (P < 0.05), and there were no statistical differences in β-hCG rate, abortion rate and ectopic pregnancy rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no adverse events occurred in PRP group. However, the C-type endometrium rate in PRP group was observably higher on FET day (Χ² = 8.309, P = 0.004), though there was no statistical difference in endometrial thickness (P > 0.05). The multiple logistics regression analysis showed that PRP intrauterine perfusion are closely related with clinical pregnancy and live birth in RIF patients with non-thin endometrium (OR: 2.379, 95% CI 1.137-4.977, P = 0.021; OR: 2.107, 95% CI 1.006-4.412, P = 0.048). Moreover, we found no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the two groups of PRP intrauterine perfusion at ≥ 24 to ≤ 48 h and > 48 to ≤ 72 h before FET (P > 0.05), except for β-hCG positive rate.

Conclusions: PRP intrauterine perfusion can safely and effectively improve the clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and live birth rate in RIF patients with non-thin endometrium possibly by increasing the C-type endometrium rate on FET day. In addition, PRP intrauterine perfusion at different times of 24-72 h before FET does not affect the clinical outcomes, which will be helpful to guide clinical work flexibly.