Endometriosis and Assisted Reproductive Technology

In: Infertility and Assisted Reproduction · 2008 · pp. 381–385 · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511547287.045 · W1706650245
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Endometriosis compromises fertility by impacting ART cycle outcomes, although oocyte donation and carefully performed surgery can be alternatives for affected women.

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Abstract

Most of the available evidence supports the hypothesis that endometriosis compromises fertility. According to ESHRE 2005 guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, treatment with intrauterine insemination (IUI) improves fertility in minimal-mild endometriosis: IUI with ovarian stimulation is effective but the role of unstimulated IUI is uncertain. Lower pregnancy and implantation rates have been documented in women with severe (stage III or IV) endometriosis when compared to mild (stage I or II) endometriosis. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) may bypass some of the mechanisms of endometriosis-associated infertility, but the disease may have an impact on cycle outcome. Oocyte donation appears as an alternative in patients with endometriosis with low response, poor embryo quality, or repeated ART failures. Surgery for endometriomas in women undergoing ART is indicated in symptomatic women; otherwise, it does not add any benefit to cycle outcome. However, careful surgery does not compromise ovarian reserve.
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- Frontmatter - Contents - Contributors - Foreword - Preface - Introduction - PART I PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION - PART II INFERTILITY EVALUATION AND TREATMENT - PART III ASSISTED REPRODUCTION - 38 Medical Strategies to Improve ART Outcome: Current Evidence - 39 Surgical Preparation of the Patient for In Vitro Fertilization - 40 IVF in the Medically Complicated Patient - 41 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and IVF - 42 Endometriosis and Assisted Reproductive Technology - 43 Evidence-Based Medicine Comparing hMG/FSH and Agonist/Antagonist and rec/Urinary hCG/LH/GnRH to Trigger Ovulation - 44 Luteal Phase Support in Assisted Reproduction - 45 Thrombophilia and Implanation Failure - 46 Intrauterine Insemination - 47 The Prediction and Management of Poor Responders in ART - 48 Oocyte Donation - 49 In Vitro Maturation of Human Oocytes - 50 Oocyte and Embryo Freezing - 51 Cryopreservation of Male Gametes - 52 The Management of Azoospermia - 53 Spermatid Injection: Current Status - 54 Optimizing Embryo Transfer - 55 Single Embryo Transfer - 56 Blastocyst Transfer - 57 Clinical Significance of Embryo Multinucleation - 58 Quality and Risk Management in the IVF Laboratory - 59 The Nurse and REI - 60 Understanding Factors That Influence the Assessment of Outcomes in Assisted Reproductive Technologies - 61 The Revolution of Assisted Reproductive Technologies: How Traditional Chinese Medicine Impacted Reproductive Outcomes in the Treatment of Infertile Couples - 62 Complications of Assisted Reproductive Technology - 63 Ectopic and Heterotopic Pregnancies Following in Vitro Fertilization - 64 The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Female Reproduction and ART: An Evidence-Based Review - 65 PGD for Chromosomal Anomalies - 66 Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis for Single-Gene Disorders - 67 Epigenetics and ART - 68 Congenital Anomalies and Assisted Reproductive Technology - PART IV ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN FERTILITY AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTION - Index - Plate section - References from PART III - ASSISTED REPRODUCTION Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010 Book contents - Frontmatter - Contents - Contributors - Foreword - Preface - Introduction - PART I PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION - PART II INFERTILITY EVALUATION AND TREATMENT - PART III ASSISTED REPRODUCTION - 38 Medical Strategies to Improve ART Outcome: Current Evidence - 39 Surgical Preparation of the Patient for In Vitro Fertilization - 40 IVF in the Medically Complicated Patient - 41 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and IVF - 42 Endometriosis and Assisted Reproductive Technology - 43 Evidence-Based Medicine Comparing hMG/FSH and Agonist/Antagonist and rec/Urinary hCG/LH/GnRH to Trigger Ovulation - 44 Luteal Phase Support in Assisted Reproduction - 45 Thrombophilia and Implanation Failure - 46 Intrauterine Insemination - 47 The Prediction and Management of Poor Responders in ART - 48 Oocyte Donation - 49 In Vitro Maturation of Human Oocytes - 50 Oocyte and Embryo Freezing - 51 Cryopreservation of Male Gametes - 52 The Management of Azoospermia - 53 Spermatid Injection: Current Status - 54 Optimizing Embryo Transfer - 55 Single Embryo Transfer - 56 Blastocyst Transfer - 57 Clinical Significance of Embryo Multinucleation - 58 Quality and Risk Management in the IVF Laboratory - 59 The Nurse and REI - 60 Understanding Factors That Influence the Assessment of Outcomes in Assisted Reproductive Technologies - 61 The Revolution of Assisted Reproductive Technologies: How Traditional Chinese Medicine Impacted Reproductive Outcomes in the Treatment of Infertile Couples - 62 Complications of Assisted Reproductive Technology - 63 Ectopic and Heterotopic Pregnancies Following in Vitro Fertilization - 64 The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Female Reproduction and ART: An Evidence-Based Review - 65 PGD for Chromosomal Anomalies - 66 Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis for Single-Gene Disorders - 67 Epigenetics and ART - 68 Congenital Anomalies and Assisted Reproductive Technology - PART IV ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN FERTILITY AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTION - Index - Plate section - References WHY WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS NEED ART? Endometriosis, the disease characterized by the presence of both functional endometrial glands and stroma outside of the uterine cavity, is usually related to infertility, even though the relationship is still being debated (1). As this disease is most likely observed in women of reproductive ages – although few cases have been described in adolescents and/or postmenopausal women – there is a strong interest in solving the problem on whether endometriosis and infertility are causally related, and if so, how can we help these women. Although the prevalence of the disease is difficult to evaluate, it seems reasonable to state that there is an increased prevalence in subfertile women when compared with fertile women. But obviously, this does not mean that all women with endometriosis are infertile or need assisted reproduction (ART). In fact, there are women with endometriosis and with proven fertility. However, their fecundability or chances of achieving a pregnancy per month seems to be reduced. The ideal study, comparing the fecundability of women with endometriosis (diagnosed by biopsy) with women without endometriosis (laparoscopically confirmed) would be unethical to perform. But from the baboon model, we have learned that their monthly fecundity rate (MFR) drops from 24 percent in baboons with normal pelvis to 18 percent if minimal endometriosis developed, and even lower if mild, moderate, or severe forms of the disease were present (2). - Type - Chapter - Information - Infertility and Assisted Reproduction , pp. 381 - 385Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008 Endometriosis and subfertility: is the relationship resolved?Sem Reprod Med 2003; 21: 243–53.Google ScholarPubMed , , , . Cycle fecundity in baboons of proven fertility with minimal endometriosis. Gynecol Obstet Invest 1994; 37: 63–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed , , . 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Postsurgical ovarian failure after laparoscopic excision of bilateral endometriomas. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006; 195: 421–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed , , et al. Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this chapter is currently unknown and may be updated in the future. To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle. Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply. 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