Impact of Omicron Variant Infection on Female Fertility and Laboratory Outcomes: A Self‐Controlled Study

ABSTRACT Problem Investigating the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection on female fertility and laboratory outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment who were initially uninfected but later became infected. Methods of the Study This self‐controlled study included 197 patients who underwent repeated oocyte retrieval before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection between March 2021 and April 2023, of which 117 used the same ovarian stimulation protocol within a consistent age range. We evaluated the ovarian reserve, ovarian response, and laboratory outcomes in patients before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Results The ovarian reserve (follicle‐stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], estrogen [E2], anti‐Müllerian hormone [AMH], antral follicle count [AFC]), ovarian response (total Gn dosage, duration of Gn administration, number of follicles ≥14 mm on trigger day, number of retrieved oocytes), and laboratory outcomes (cleavage stage good‐quality embryo rate, blastocyst formation rate, and cycle freezing rate) showed no significant differences before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in 117 patients (p > 0.05). When stratified by age, the ≤ 35 years group showed a higher two pronuclei (2PN) fertilization rate post‐infection, while the >35 years group had increased mature metaphase II (MII) oocyte and blastocyst stage good‐quality embryo rates. Additionally, upon stratified by the time interval between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and ART treatment, in the ≤ 3 months group, there was an increased post‐infection MII oocyte rate, 2PN fertilization rate, and blastocyst stage good‐quality embryo rate. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found in any indicators when the interval exceeded three months. Conclusion Our study suggested that undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment after recovering from COVID‐19 may not adversely affect female fertility and laboratory outcomes.