SynthesisReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2022
Comparisons of benefits and risks of single embryo transfer versus double embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- FIGO good practice recommendations on preconception care: A strategy to prevent preterm birth.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2025Guideline
- ESHRE guideline: number of embryos to transfer during IVF/ICSI†.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2024Guideline
- Personalized versus standard frozen-thawed embryo transfer in IVF/ICSI cycles: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2023Pooled it
- Addressing multiple pregnancies in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer: Current status, challenges, and solutions.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026Review
- A predictive model for high-quality blastocyst formation using Day 3 morphological scores in women of advanced maternal age.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Distinct pregnancy challenges in PCOS women undergoing IVF/ICSI with singleton and twin births: a propensity-matched analysis.Journal of ovarian research · 2026Article
- Temporal Trends in Pregnancy Rate, Live Birth Rates, and Rates of Gestational Outcomes, 2012-2023.O&G open · 2026Article
- Multimodal intelligent prediction model for in vitro fertilization.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Clinical outcomes of co-transfer of partially and fully compacted morula versus fully compacted morula alone on day 4.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- How Many Blastocysts Are Needed for PGT-A to Benefit RPL Patients? A 7-Year Retrospective Cohort Study.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025Article
- Elective single morula transfer achieved better clinical outcomes than two cleavage embryos transfer in fresh IVF-ET cycles.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Factors influencing the birth weight of ART-conceived offspring.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2025Review
- High multiple pregnancy rates after double embryo transfers in human: a retrospective cohort study.Reproduction & fertility · 2025Article
- Effects of Various Transfer Strategies of Frozen-Thawed Cleavage-Stage and Blastocyst Embryos on Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes in Different Age Groups.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2025Article
- Frozen-thawed double cleavage-stage or frozen-thawed single day 6 blastocyst stage embryo transfer: which is preferable for patients younger than 35 without day 5 blastocyst formation?Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Observational
- Comparison of pregnancy outcomes among patients of different ages who underwent frozen-thawed high-quality single blastocyst transfer.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
- Embryo Transfer Procedural Parameters Do Not Predict IVF Cycle Outcome.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Effect of frozen-thawed embryo transfer with a poor-quality embryo and a good-quality embryo on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2024Article
- Follicular fluid and plasma lipidome profiling and associations towards embryonic development outcomes during ART treatment.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEvidence referring to the trade-offs between the benefits and risks of single embryo transfer (SET) versus double embryo transfer (DET) following assisted reproduction technology are insufficient, especially for those women with a defined embryo quality or advanced age.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched based on established search strategy from inception through February 2021. Pre-specified primary outcomes were live birth rate (LBR) and multiple pregnancy rate (MPR). Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled by a random-effects model using R version 4.1.0.
resultsEighty-five studies (14 randomized controlled trials and 71 observational studies) were eligible. Compared with DET, SET decreased the probability of a live birth (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.71-0.85, P < 0.001, n = 62), and lowered the rate of multiple pregnancy (0.05, 0.04-0.06, P < 0.001, n = 45). In the sub-analyses of age stratification, both the differences of LBR (0.87, 0.54-1.40, P = 0.565, n = 4) and MPR (0.34, 0.06-2.03, P = 0.236, n = 3) between SET and DET groups became insignificant in patients aged ≥40 years. No significant difference in LBR for single GQE versus two embryos of mixed quality [GQE + PQE (non-good quality embryo)] (0.99, 0.77-1.27, P = 0.915, n = 8), nor any difference of MPR in single PQE versus two PQEs (0.23, 0.04-1.49, P = 0.123, n = 6). Moreover, women who conceived through SET were associated with lower risks of poor outcomes, including cesarean section (0.64, 0.43-0.94), antepartum haemorrhage (0.35, 0.15-0.82), preterm birth (0.25, 0.21-0.30), low birth weight (0.20, 0.16-0.25), Apgar1 < 7 rate (0.12, 0.02-0.93) or neonatal intensive care unit admission (0.30, 0.14-0.66) than those following DET.
conclusionsIn women aged < 40 years or if any GQE is available, SET should be incorporated into clinical practice. While in the absence of GQEs, DET may be preferable. However, for elderly women aged ≥40 years, current evidence is not enough to recommend an appropriate number of embryo transfer. The findings need to be further confirmed.
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Registered trials
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.