Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 11, 2885-2890,
November 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
The usefulness of ultrasound guidance in frozen–thawed embryo transfer: a prospective randomized clinical trial
1 Service of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona and 2 Institut Clinic of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine–University of Barcelona, Hospital Clinic–Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
BACKGROUND: Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that implantation and pregnancy rates were improved with ultrasound-guided embryo transfer compared with clinical touch in fresh IVF cycles associated with supraphysiological ovarian steroid levels. However, the usefulness of ultrasound guidance in frozen–thawed embryo transfer where potential hormonal influences are lacking has not been appropriately investigated. METHODS: A total of 184 consecutive patients undergoing thawed embryo transfer cycles with hormone replacement under pituitary suppression were randomized by computer-generated randomization table to two study groups: 93 had ultrasound-guided (group 1) and 91 had clinical touch (group 2) embryo transfer. RESULTS: There was equal distribution between the two study groups with respect to the main demographic and baseline characteristics of the patients as well as the characteristics of both prior IVF cycles from which embryos were generated and cryopreserved–thawed embryo transfer cycles. However, both pregnancy and implantation rates in group 1 (34.4 and 19.8% respectively) were significantly higher than the corresponding values (19.7 and 11.9%) in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound guidance in frozen–thawed embryo transfer significantly increases pregnancy and implantation rates.
Key words: embryo transfer/frozen-thawed embryos/implantation rates/IVF/ultrasound-guided embryo transfer
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed: Institut Universitari Dexeus, Paseo Bonanova 67, 08017 Barcelona, Spain. E-mail: vencor{at}iudexeus.uab.es
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