The role of G-CSF in recurrent implantation failure: A randomized double blind placebo control trial

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is the absence of implantation after three consecutive In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycles with transferring at least four good quality embryos in a minimum of three fresh or frozen cycles in a woman under 40 years. The definition and management of RIF is under constant scrutiny.

To investigate the effects of Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on RIF, pregnancy rate, abortion rate and implantation rates.

A double blind placebo controlled randomized trial was conducted at two tertiary university based hospitals. One hundred patients with the history of RIF from December 2011 until January 2014 were recruited in the study. G-CSF 300µg/1ml was administered at the day of oocyte puncture or day of progesterone administration of FET cycle. Forty patients were recruited at G-CSF group, 40 in saline and 20 in placebo group.

The mean age for whole study group was 35.3±4.2 yrs (G-CSF 35.5±4.32, saline 35.3±3.98, placebo 35.4±4.01, respectively). Seventeen patients had a positive pregnancy test after embryo transfer [10 (25%) in G-CSF; 5 (12.5%) in saline; and 2 (10%) in placebo group]. The mean of abortion rates was 17.6% (3), two of them in G-CSF, one in saline group. The implantation rate was 12.3% in G-CSF, 6.1% in saline and 4.7% in placebo group.

G-CSF may increase chemical pregnancy and implantation rate in patients with recurrent implantation failure but clinical pregnancy rate and abortion rate was unaffected.