Endometriosis: The relationship of endometriosis to endometrial sonographic studies prior to administration of human chorionic gonadotrophin in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

The objective of this prospective comparative study was to investigate the relationship of endometriosis to endometrial thickness and sonographic echo pattern prior to the administration of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Patients were matched by age and ovarian stimulation protocol. A total of 210 patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer at a university-related IVF centre were enlisted. Of these, 105 women with laparoscopic confirmation of endometriosis were compared to an equal number of patients with laparoscopic confirmation of no endometriosis. Mean endometrial thickness did not differ between the groups (12.7 +/- 2.9 versus 12.2 +/- 2.5 mm). The distribution of echo patterns was also the same, irrespective of diagnosis. Evaluation of clinical pregnancy rates showed no reduction in patients with endometriosis, regardless of stage, nor when comparing patients to controls. Endometriosis has no effect on the endometrial thickness or echo pattern measured by sonography prior to administration of HCG or the pregnancy rates following IVF and embryo transfer.