Effect of different durations of Shawkea DE-T1 administration on blastocyst obtained rate in women receiving IVF-ET treatment: A secondary analysis of a cohort study

Objective: To explore the appropriate duration of Shawkea DE-T1 use, and to provide a basis for the optimization of the Shawkea DE-T1 administration duration for different women. Methods Based on a previous retrospective cohort study, 1,014 patients aged ≥ 30 years who used in vitro fertilization (IVF) for conception at Hanabusa Women’s Clinic, Kobe, Japan, were included in this secondary analysis and were allocated to an Shawkea DE-T1-administration group (n = 712) and a control group (n = 302) based on their use of Shawkea DE-T1. All patients in the two groups received interventions following the guidelines of the Japanese Institution for Standardizing Assisted Reproductive Technology Intervention, and patients in the administration group were provided Shawkea DE-T1 as recommended by the Nutritional Supplement Support Center of Hanabusa Womens Clinic. The blastocyst obtained rate (percentage of patients who produced at least one blastocyst upon in vitro embryo culture relative to all patients in the same group) was compared between the two groups of patients following treatment durations of 1–3 months, 4–6 months, and > 6 months. Analysis was performed on the actual duration of Shawkea DE-T1 administration for all patients who achieved blastocyst in vitro according to their age level (≥ 30 and < 35 years of age; ≥35 and < 40 years; ≥40 and < 43 years; and ≥ 43 years of age). Results After a Shawkea DE-T1 administration of 1–3 months or 4–6 months, the blastocyst obtained rates in the administration group were significantly higher than those of the control group (83.27% vs. 55.31% for 1–3 months, P = 1.02×10 − 10 ; 69.44% vs. 44.44% for 4–6 months, P = 4.70×10 − 4 ), while no significant difference was uncovered between the two groups with > 6 months of administration (73.35% vs. 72.46%, P = 0.76). Analysis of the treatment duration of patients at different age levels who produced blastocysts showed that the treatment duration increased commensurate with patient age: i.e., 65.25% of women ≥ 30 and < 35 years of age achieved blastocyst after a Shawkea DE-T1 administration of 1–3 months; while only 19.75% of women ≥ 43 years of age successfully achieved in vitro development of embryos to blastocyst stage with a Shawkea DE-T1 administration of 1–3 months. Conclusion Shawkea DE-T1 use for 1–3 months and 3–6 months significantly improved the blastocyst obtained rate in women receiving IVF treatment. Appropriate extension of Shawkea DE-T1 administration duration also achieved a better effect in women of advanced reproductive age.