Abstract
Objective:
To investigate the role of endometrial thickness and pattern on the day of human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG) administration on in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic
injection (ICSI) outcome.
Study design:
A total of 150 infertile women undergoing embryo transfer after IVF/ICSI cycles were
studied in a prospective survey. Sonographic features of the endometrium (thickness
and pattern) on the day of hCG administration, hormonal profile (progesterone, estradiol,
FSH, LH) and various other variables (maternal age, causes and duration of infertility,
duration of treatment, number of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) ampoules administered,
and number of oocytes retrieved) were evaluated. These variables in pregnant and nonpregnant
patients were compared.
Results:
There was no difference between pregnant and nonpregnant patients in mean endometrium
thickness (10.1 ± 1 versus 10.2 ± 2, p = 0.79). Pregnancies occurred only in patients with an endometrial thickness of 9–12 mm (p = 0.036). Duration of treatment, number of hMG ampoules administered, number of oocytes
retrieved, estradiol concentration, and estradiol/progesterone ratio on the day of
hCG differed significantly between pregnant and nonpregnant patients. There was no
correlation between endometrial pattern and pregnancy rate. The receiver-operating
characteristic (ROC) curve and multiple logistic regression showed no significant
effect of endometrial thickness in the outcome of IVF/ICSI.
Conclusion:
The sonographic features of the endometrium (thickness and pattern) on the day of
hCG administration did not differ between pregnant and nonpregnant patients. The pregnancy
rate declined beyond two limits of endometrial thickness.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 23,
2004
Received in revised form:
June 1,
2004
Received:
December 30,
2003
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
