To clarify the impact of COVID-19 infection on live birth rates (LBR) and fetal outcomes in patients undergoing fresh embryo transfer (fET) cycles, and to develop evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice.
Approach:
Key Findings:
COVID-19 infection was associated with a lower live birth rate (LBR) with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.655 (95% CI: 0.483 to 0.887; P = 0.006).
Higher mid-to-late miscarriage rates were observed in the infected group with an adjusted OR of 7.929 (95% CI: 2.651 to 23.714; P < 0.001).
Infections occurring 28-84 days prior to oocyte retrieval with fever ≥ 38.5°C resulted in a significantly lower LBR (OR: 0.467; 95% CI: 0.290 to 0.752; P = 0.002).
Dual-partner infections also demonstrated a significantly reduced LBR (OR: 0.591; 95% CI: 0.421-0.830; P = 0.002).
Interpretation:
COVID-19 infection negatively impacts live birth rates in fresh embryo transfer cycles, particularly under specific conditions such as timing of infection and fever presence; caution is advised in interpreting these results due to study limitations.
Limitations:
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias.
Limited generalizability due to single-center study.
Potential confounding factors, such as age and underlying health conditions, were not fully controlled.
Conclusion:
COVID-19 infection is linked to lower LBR in fET cycles, necessitating further multicenter studies with larger cohorts to validate findings and enhance understanding.
