Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2007 Feb;50(2):322-328.

IVF/ICSI outcomes of women with minimal to mild endometriosis associated infertility and unexplained infertility

• Kim HO
• Park CW
• Song IO
• Koong MK

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to assess the IVF/ICSI outcomes of infertile women with minimal to mild endometriosis associated and unexplained infertility. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of 513 (IVF/ICSI) cycles with minimal to mild endometriosis associated infertility, 338 cycles with unexplained infertility, 351 cycles with tubal factor infertility as controls between Jan. 1997 and Apr. 2004. Exclusion criteria for study were: age>36 yrs old, the number of oocytes retrieved < 4, basal FSH > 20 mIU/ml, patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, polycystic ovarian syndrome.
RESULTS
The incidence of primary infertility was significantly higher in minimal to mild endometriosis (72.3%) and unexplained (68.5%) than tubal factor (31.2%) (p<0.0001). There was no difference in fertilization rate between minimal to mild endometriosis associated infertility and unexplained infertility. But minimal to mild endometriosis associated infertility showed significantly lower fertilization rate and the number of total embryos than tubal factor infertility (62.3+/-21.2% vs. 68.8+/-17.6% (p<0.0001), 8.38+/-5.0 vs. 9.81+/-5.2 (p<0.0001)). But the number of good quality embryos was similar. Clinical pregnancy rates of minimal to mild endometriosis associated, unexplained, and tubal factor infertility was 32%, 35.8%, 39.9% and implantation rates was 13.5+/-23.3, 14.3+/-23.6, 16.1+/-23.5, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The IVF/ICSI outcomes of minimal to mild endometriosis associated infertility is comparable to those of unexplained infertility with respect to clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates, and live birth rates. And we suggest that IVF should be considered earlier in patients with minimal to mild endometriosis associated and unexplained infertility because of significantly decreased fertilization rates and longer duration of infertility.

Keyword

In vitro fertilization; Minimal to mild endometriosis; Unexplained infertility; Fertilization rates

MeSH Terms

Azoospermia
Embryonic Structures
Endometriosis*
Female
Fertilization
Fertilization in Vitro
Humans
Incidence
Infertility*
Live Birth
Oocytes
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Pregnancy Rate
Retrospective Studies