Effect of endometrial cavity fluid on clinical pregnancy rate in tubal embryo transfer (TET)

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This study found no significant difference in clinical pregnancy or implantation rates between tubal embryo transfer cycles with and without endometrial cavity fluid accumulation.

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This retrospective study evaluated whether physiologically generated endometrial cavity fluid (ECF) negatively affects clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate during tubal embryo transfer (TET) in 176 women (195 cycles) without hydrosalpinx or bilateral tubal obstruction, including cases with male factor, unexplained infertility, or endometriosis. ECF accumulation was measured by vaginal sonography on the day of ovum pick-up and categorized as present (>1 mm anterior–posterior diameter) versus absent, alongside assessment of endometrium thickness. Clinical pregnancy rates were 70% (7/10) with ECF accumulation versus 53% (98/185) without, and implantation rates were 29.03% versus 25.71%, with no significant differences reported. This paper is centrally about endometriosis only insofar as patients with endometriosis were included among the indications for TET, allowing relevance to endometriosis treatment contexts.

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Abstract

PurposeIn this study, we assess whether the endometrial cavity fluid (ECF) generated physiologically by the genital tract have negative effect on the pregnancy rate during tubal embryo transfer (TET) in patients who do not have hydrosalpinx or bilateral tubal obstruction.MethodsWe retrospectively collected samples from 176 women with 195 cycles receiving TET due to male factor, unexplained infertility or endometriosis from June 1999 to Dec. 2003, and divided them into two groups (group I: patient with fluid accumulation >1 mm in the anterior-posterior diameter in the uterine cavity; group II: patient without fluid accumulation in the uterine cavity). Endometrium thickness was measured as a maximal distance between anterior and posterior myometrium-endometrium interface under the long-axis view. The A-P diameter of ECF was measured via vaginal sonar on the day of ovum pick-up (OPU).ResultsFrom a total of 195 ART cycles involving 176 patients, the accumulation of ECF was detected in 10 cycles (5.1%). Seven of ten cycles (70%) with the accumulation of ECF were proved to be pregnant clinically. However, in the rest 185 cycles (group II), 98 of them (53%) were proved to be pregnant. At the mean time, the implantation rate was 29.03% and 25.71% in the groups I and II, respectively. No significant difference of the clinical pregnancy rate and the implantation rate was found between the two groups.ConclusionsAccording to our study, if the ECF was generated physiologically by the genital tract during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), the clinical pregnancy rate is not worse and no influence of embryo implantation was found.
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Methods

We retrospectively collected samples from 176 women with 195 cycles receiving TET due to male factor, unexplained infertility or endometriosis from June 1999 to Dec. 2003, and divided them into two groups (group I: patient with fluid accumulation >1 mm in the anterior–posterior diameter in the uterine cavity; group II: patient without fluid accumulation in the uterine cavity). Endometrium thickness was measured as a maximal distance between anterior and posterior myometrium–endometrium interface under the long-axis view. The A–P diameter of ECF was measured via vaginal sonar on the day of ovum pick-up (OPU).

Results

From a total of 195 ART cycles involving 176 patients, the accumulation of ECF was detected in 10 cycles (5.1%). Seven of ten cycles (70%) with the accumulation of ECF were proved to be pregnant clinically. However, in the rest 185 cycles (group II), 98 of them (53%) were proved to be pregnant. At the mean time, the implantation rate was 29.03% and 25.71% in the groups I and II, respectively. No significant difference of the clinical pregnancy rate and the implantation rate was found between the two groups.

Conclusions

According to our study, if the ECF was generated physiologically by the genital tract during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), the clinical pregnancy rate is not worse and no influence of embryo implantation was found. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Body Fluids Embryo Transfer Endometrium Adult Body Fluids Body Fluids Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Ovulation Induction Pregnancy Pregnancy Rate Retrospective Studies

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