The importance of laparoscopic coagulation of mild endometriosis in infertile women

To evaluate the effect of fulguration of endometriotic implants in patients with mild endometriosis, we divided 123 patients into two groups: (A) patients whose endometriotic implants were coagulated, and (B) patients whose implants were left intact. In group A, 42 of 69 (60.8%) patients achieved a pregnancy within eight cycles following laparoscopic fulguration, in comparison with 10 of 54 (18.5%) patients from group B. The difference between this study and others is that all other infertility factors were meticulously corrected prior to laparoscopic treatment, and patients were allowed at least eight "normal" cycles before their endometriosis was treated. This is a report of 8 months' postoperative follow-up. The study was prospective and treatment was assigned randomly. We feel that laparoscopic fulguration significantly improves fertility in these carefully selected patients.