Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (32)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lesny, P.
Right arrow Articles by Maguiness, S.D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lesny, P.
Right arrow Articles by Maguiness, S.D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 9, 2367-2370, September 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Junctional zone contractions and embryo transfer: is it safe to use a tenaculum?

P. Lesny1,3,4, S.R. Killick1,3, J. Robinson2,3, G. Raven3 and S.D. Maguiness1,3

1 Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road and 3 The Hull IVF Unit, Princess Royal Hospital, Saltshouse Road, Hull, UK

Applying a tenaculum to the cervix is a common practice when the correction of uterine position prior to embryo transfer is required. Our study was designed to assess junctional zone contractility before and after this procedure in 20 patients at the time of mock embryo transfer (mid-luteal phase, at commencement of down-regulation). Real-time transvaginal ultrasound and computer technology was used to evaluate the contraction pattern and frequency. When a tenaculum was applied, the total number of contractions, the number of cervico–fundal, random and opposing contractions all increased significantly (P values 0.0003, 0.005, 0.001 and 0.007 respectively). Eleven women displayed cervico–fundal contractions, prominent opposing and random contractions were observed in all 20 patients and four patients generated fundo–cervical waves not seen in any case before stimulation with the instrument. In conclusion, manipulation with a tenaculum in the cervical area stimulates junctional zone contractions and is best avoided at the time of embryo transfer.

Key words: embryo transfer/junctional zone contractions/tenaculum/transvaginal ultrasound

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: The Hull IVF Unit, Princess Royal Hospital, Saltshouse Road, Hull HU8 9HE, UK


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
R. Bernabeu, M. Roca, A. Torres, and J. Ten
Indomethacin effect on implantation rates in oocyte recipients
Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2006; 21(2): 364 - 369.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
K. Marikinti and P. R. Brinsden
'The presence of blood in the transfer catheter negatively influences outcome at embryo transfer'
Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2005; 20(7): 2029 - 2030.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
M.B. Henne and A.A. Milki
Uterine position at real embryo transfer compared with mock embryo transfer
Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2004; 19(3): 570 - 572.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
P. Serhal, D. M. Ranieri, I. Khadum, and R. A. Wakim
Cervical dilatation with hygroscopic rods prior to ovarian stimulation facilitates embryo transfer
Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2003; 18(12): 2618 - 2620.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
B. Coroleu, P. N. Barri, O. Carreras, F. Martinez, A. Veiga, and J. Balasch
The usefulness of ultrasound guidance in frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a prospective randomized clinical trial
Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2002; 17(11): 2885 - 2890.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
C. Tomas, K. Tikkinen, L. Tuomivaara, J. S. Tapanainen, and H. Martikainen
The degree of difficulty of embryo transfer is an independent factor for predicting pregnancy
Hum. Reprod., October 1, 2002; 17(10): 2632 - 2635.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
H.N. Sallam, A.F. Agameya, A.F. Rahman, F. Ezzeldin, and A.N. Sallam
Ultrasound measurement of the uterocervical angle before embryo transfer: a prospective controlled study
Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2002; 17(7): 1767 - 1772.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
R.T. Mansour and M.A. Aboulghar
Optimizing the embryo transfer technique
Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2002; 17(5): 1149 - 1153.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
P. Lesny, S. Maguiness, F. Biervliet, and S.R. Killick
Uterine contractility decreases at the time of blastocyst transfer
Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2002; 17(3): 841 - 841.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
F.P. Biervliet, P. Lesny, S.D. Maguiness, J. Robinson, and S.R. Killick
Transmyometrial embryo transfer and junctional zone contractions
Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2002; 17(2): 347 - 350.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
F. Martinez, B. Coroleu, M. Parriego, O. Carreras, I. Belil, N. Parera, L. Hereter, R. Buxaderas, and P.N. Barri
Ultrasound-guided embryo transfer: immediate withdrawal of the catheter versus a 30 second wait
Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2001; 16(5): 871 - 874.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.