Yonsei Med J.  2010 Nov;51(6):949-953. 10.3349/ymj.2010.51.6.949.

The Use of Tenaculum During Intrauterine Insemination May Not Affect the Pregnancy Outcome

• Park KE
• Ku SY
• Kim H
• Jee BC
• Suh CS
• Kim SH
• Choi YM
• Kim JG
• Moon SY

• KMID: 1779645
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2010.51.6.949

Abstract

PURPOSE
The association between tenaculum application to the cervix just before embryo transfer and lower pregnancy rate has been reported. However, studies on the use of tenaculum in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles are not available. This study attempted to investigate whether the use of tenaculum affects the clinical outcomes of IUI.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two hundred and thirty three CC/hMG/IUI cycles of one hundred and forty three couples were recruited at Seoul National University Hospital from October 2006 to December 2008. Mock insemination and IUI with or without tenaculum application to the cervix were also performed, and clinical pregnancy rate was compared.
RESULTS
The incidence of difficult mock insemination at the beginning of cycle was higher in the tenaculum use group (p < 0.001). No significant statistical difference in the clinical pregnancy rate was observed between the groups with or without tenaculum application (12.1% vs. 18.5%; p = 0.175), which was not influenced by the difficulty of mock insemination.
CONCLUSION
The use of tenaculum during IUI may not affect the pregnancy outcome. Our results need to be confirmed by a prospective study in a larger population.

Keyword

Intrauterine insemination; tenaculum; clinical pregnancy rate

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cervix Uteri/*physiopathology
Female
Hormones/blood
Humans
Incidence
Infertility, Female/physiopathology/*therapy
Insemination, Artificial, Homologous/*instrumentation
Male
Ovary/physiology
Ovulation Induction
Physical Stimulation/instrumentation
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Pregnancy Rate
Treatment Outcome
Uterine Contraction/*physiology

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