Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30681617›Full record

Trial reportMedicine2019

Does nifedipine improve outcomes of embryo transfer?: Interim analysis of a randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Kelvin Kwok Lap Ng, Genia Rozen, Tanya Stewart, Franca Agresta, Alex Polyakov

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 45% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Vasodilators for women undergoing fertility treatment.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. The effect of Nifedipine on embryo transfer outcomes: A randomized clinical trial.International journal of reproductive biomedicine · 2022
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Kelvin Kwok Lap NgRoyal Melbourne Hospital.
Genia RozenRoyal Women's Hospital, Parkville.
Tanya StewartMelbourne IVF, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Franca AgrestaRoyal Women's Hospital, Parkville.
Alex PolyakovRoyal Women's Hospital, Parkville.
Myer Foundation · AURoyal Women's Hospital · AUThe Royal Melbourne Hospital · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImplantation failure is the main factor affecting the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. Studies have reported that uterine contractions (UC) at the time of embryo transfer (ET) were inversely related to implantation and pregnancy rate, hence reducing the success of IVF treatments. Various pharmacological agents, with the exception of calcium channel blockers, have been investigated to improve ET outcomes by reducing UC. Thus, a double-blinded randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to determine whether nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker with potent smooth muscle relaxing activity and an excellent safety profile, can improve the outcome of patients undergoing ET treatments.

methodsNinety-three infertile women were recruited into 1 of 2 groups: placebo (n = 47) or nifedipine 20 mg (n = 46). Study participants were admitted 30 minutes prior to ET and given either tablet after their baseline vital signs were recorded. They then underwent ET and were observed for adverse events for another 30 minutes post-ET. Follow up of the participants' outcomes was conducted via electronic medical records. The primary outcomes are implantation and clinical pregnancy rates. Secondary outcomes include any maternal or fetal adverse events, miscarriage, pregnancy, live births, and neonatal outcomes. Resulting data were then analyzed using t test, Pearson chi-square test, and Fisher exact test to compare outcomes between the 2 groups.

resultsNo statistical differences in the implantation rate (42.6% vs 39.1%, P = .737, rate ratio 0.868, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.379-1.986) and the clinical pregnancy rate (23.4% vs 26.1%, P = .764, rate ratio 1.155, 95% CI: 0.450-2.966) were detected between the placebo and the treatment groups. In addition, no statistical significance between the placebo and the treatment groups for any secondary outcomes were detected.

conclusionsThis double blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial demonstrated that the single use of 20 mg nifedipine given 30 minutes before embryo transfer did not improve the implantation rate or the clinical pregnancy rate of the infertility treatment. Further studies are required to demonstrate the clinical benefits and risks of nifedipine usage in embryo transfer.

Indexed as

AdultCalcium Channel BlockersDouble-Blind MethodEmbryo ImplantationEmbryo TransferFemaleFertilization in VitroHumansInfertility, FemaleNifedipinePregnancyPregnancy RateTreatment OutcomeUterine ContractionCalcium Channel BlockersNifedipine

Identifiers

PMID30681617
PMCPMC6358362
OpenAlexW2912554122

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.