Efficiency of changing the embryo transfer time from day 3 to day 2 among women with poor ovarian response: A prospective randomized trial

Objective: To compare the outcome of day 2 and day 3 embryo transfers in women demonstrating poor ovarian response. Design: Prospective randomized clinical trial. Setting: Private assisted reproductive technology center. Patient(s): Two hundred eighty-one women demonstrating poor ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Intervention(s): Women who were poor responders were randomly allocated to day 2 or day 3 embryo transfer following oocyte retrieval. Main Outcome Measure(s): Implantation rates and pregnancy rates per oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer. Result(s): The clinical pregnancy rates per oocyte retrieval (37.2% vs. 21.4%, respectively; P <.05) and per embryo transfer (38.9% vs. 24.1%, respectively; P <.05) were significantly higher in the day 2 embryo transfer group compared with day 3. On the other hand, implantation rates were not different between groups (23.9% vs. 17.2%, respectively; P=.08). Conclusion(s): Our results demonstrated that transferring embryos on day 2 could provide alternative to the management of poor responder patients.