Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination and Assisted Reproduction Outcomes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and female assisted reproduction outcomes through a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: We searched Medline (OVID), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov on January 11, 2023, for original articles on assisted reproduction outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination. The primary outcome was rates of clinical pregnancy; secondary outcomes included number of oocytes retrieved, number of mature oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, implantation rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, and live-birth rate. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently screened citations for relevance, extracted pertinent data, and rated study quality. Only peer-reviewed published studies were included. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Our query retrieved 216 citations, of which 25 were studies with original, relevant data. Nineteen studies reported embryo transfer outcomes, with a total of 4,899 vaccinated and 13,491 unvaccinated patients. Eighteen studies reported data on ovarian stimulation outcomes, with a total of 1,878 vaccinated and 3,174 unvaccinated patients. There were no statistically significant results among our pooled data for any of the primary or secondary outcomes: clinical pregnancy rate (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% CI 0.88–1.01, P=.10), number of oocytes retrieved (mean difference −0.26, 95% CI −0.68 to 0.15, P=.21), number of mature oocytes retrieved (mean difference 0.31, 95% CI −0.14 to 0.75, P=.18), fertilization rate (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.87–1.11, P=.83), implantation rate (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.84–1.00, P=.06), ongoing pregnancy rate (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.86–1.06, P=.40), or live-birth rate (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.78–1.17, P=.63). A subanalysis based on country of origin and vaccine type was also performed for the primary and secondary outcomes and did not change the study results. CONCLUSION: Vaccination against COVID-19 is not associated with different fertility outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42023400023.