Skip Navigation



Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on June 10, 2004
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/deh356
© 2004 by European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
19/9/1968    most recent
deh356v1
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 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 arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lédée-Bataille, N.
Right arrow Articles by Frydman, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lédée-Bataille, N.
Right arrow Articles by Frydman, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Received March 10, 2003
Accepted May 14, 2004

Article

Detectable levels of interleukin-18 in uterine luminal secretions at oocyte retrieval predict failure of the embryo transfer

N. Lédée-Bataille 1*, F. Olivennes 2, J. Kadoch 2, S. Dubanchet 3, N. Frydman 2, G. Chaouat 3, R. Frydman 4

1 INSERM U131, Equipe Cytokines et Relation Materno-Foetale Clamart, France; E.A 3538, qualité gamétique et implantation, Clamart, France
2 Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique et Médecine de la Reproduction, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Clamart, France
3 INSERM U131, Equipe Cytokines et Relation Materno-Foetale Clamart, France
4 E.A 3538, qualité gamétique et implantation, Clamart, France

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Ledeenathalie{at}aol.com.


  Abstract

BACKGROUND: Most implantation failures after successful in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) result from inadequate uterine receptivity. There is currently no way to predict this receptivity. METHODS: We investigated whether the detection of interleukin-(IL)18 by ELISA in uterine luminal secretions might predict implantation failure. Secretions of 133 patients enrolled in our IVF-ET program were sampled by uterine flushing immediately before oocyte retrieval. We assessed the following outcomes: pregnancy rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and implantation rate per embryo transferred. RESULTS: Interleukin-18 was detected in the flushing fluid of 38 patients (28.6%). Although the two groups were comparable for all other characteristics (age, etiology, ovarian reserve, number of embryos transferred, quality of embryos), all outcome variables differed significantly. The pregnancy rate was 37.9% in the IL-18 -ve group and 15% in the IL-18 + ve group, the multiple pregnancy rate 27.7% and 0%, and the implantation rate per embryo transferred 19.4% and 6.7% (all comparisons, P=0.02). Only embryos meeting good quality criteria were transferred to 65 patients: 50 IL-18 -ve and 15 IL-18 +ve. The pregnancy rate was 51% for the IL-18 -ve group and 20% for the IL-18 +ve group, the multiple pregnancy rate 36% and 0.0%, respectively, and the implantation rate 29% and 8.3% (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: This non-invasive and simple method predicted inadequate uterine receptivity, independent of embryo quality.

Key words: cytokines, implantation, interleukin-18, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer (IVF-ET), uterine flushing, uterine receptivity


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




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.