A comparison of peritoneal fluid parameters of infertile patients and the subsequent occurrence of pregnancy

The effects of peritoneal fluid or its cellular components on human oocyte fertilization and cleavage cannot be studied directly. This report explores the association of laparoscopically obtained peritoneal fluid volume, macrophage count, and concentration of 124 infertility patients and their first occurrence of pregnancy during a 2-year follow-up period. Endometriosis patients who achieved pregnancy had a significantly lower mean fluid volume than those remaining nonpregnant. In patients with endometriosis, a fluid volume significantly less than the mean for all endometriosis patients carries a significantly greater chance of pregnancy. The time required for the occurrence of pregnancy in patients with endometriosis appears influenced by peritoneal fluid volume. Peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis, via an as yet unknown mechanism or substance, appears to be associated with reduced fertility.