BMI Versus Body Fat Percentage - Which is the Better Predictor of Fertility Outcomes in IVF Cycles?

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Measurement of BIA (Body Fat and Visceral Fat Percentage): Participants are asked to step on a BIA machine to collect data such as weight, lean body mass, body fat percentage and visceral fat percentage.

Study summary

The goal of this prospective observational cohort study is to evaluate whether body composition measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (including measures of body fat% and visceral fat) serve as a better predictor than body mass index (BMI) of outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Participants undergoing IVF will have body composition assessed using a BIA scale prior to treatment, including measurement of body fat percentage.

Associations between BMI, BIA-derived body composition measures, and IVF treatment outcomes will be evaluated. Outcomes of interest include ovarian stimulation requirements, number of mature oocytes (eggs) retrieved, number of oocytes fertilized, and number and quality of embryos available for cryopreservation (freezing). Furthermore, ongoing pregnancy and miscarriage rates will be evaluated.

The main question is to determine which of either BIA metrics or BMI are a better predictor of ongoing pregnancy or miscarriage rates. Furthermore, we would like to assess if there is an association between BIA metrics or BMI and the response to ovarian stimulation (egg recruitment), number and maturity rate of oocytes retrieved, number of oocytes fertilized and the number and quality of embryos available for cryopreservation.

Participants will be asked to step on a BIA scale at the start of their cycle before taking medications to stimulate/recruit oocytes. This scale provides additional information on body fat % and visceral fat % in addition to body weight.

The study aims to determine whether measures of adiposity obtained using BIA may provide a more informative assessment of the relationship between body composition and IVF outcomes than BMI alone.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Pregnancy Rate — Serum blood test measured >/= 14 days post embryo transfer.
  A positive serum beta hcg measurement at 2 weeks (14 days) post embryo transfer \> 5 mIU/mL.
• Clinical Pregnancy Rate — A pregnancy located intrauterine on ultrasound performed between 4-9 weeks gestation (dated by embryo transfer).
  An intrauterine gestational sac documented on an abdominal or transvaginal ultrasound
• Ongoing Pregnancy Rate — A viable pregnancy identified/measuring >/=7 weeks on routine clinic ultrasound.
  Intrauterine pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity \>/= 7 weeks gestation
• Miscarriage — From date of positive pregnancy test to < 7 weeks
  Defined as either spontaneous reduction of a once positive serum bhCG on serial documented measurements in the first 7 weeks of gestation or transvaginal ultrasound diagnosis of pregnancy failure using the New England Journal of Medicine Diagnostic Criteria for Nonviable Pregnancy in Early First Trimester (Doubilet et al., 2013)

Trial sites (1)

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