Clinical evaluation of ultrasound-guided embryo transfer.

Kim, You Shin; Cho, Jung Hyun; Kim, Soo Hee; Won, Hyung Jae; Han, Ji Eun; Kawk, In Pyung; Lee, Sook Hwan; Yoon, Tae Ki

Randomized Controlled Trial

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2006;49(2):399-407.
Published online February 1, 2006.

Clinical evaluation of ultrasound-guided embryo transfer.

You Shin Kim, Jung Hyun Cho, Soo Hee Kim, Hyung Jae Won, Ji Eun Han, In Pyung Kawk, Sook Hwan Lee, Tae Ki Yoon

Fertility Center of CHA General Hospital, Pocheon CHA University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. medikys@hanmail.net

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Clinical evaluation of the efficacy of ultrasound-guided embryo transfer (ET) comparing with embryo transfer without ultrasound guidance (Non-US). METHODS: From January 2003 to April 2003, we examined the efficacy of ultrasound-guided embryo transfer (ET) on clinical outcome from in-vitro fertilization (IVF-ET) cycle. One hundred thirty patients were prospectively randomized into two groups: 69 patients had ultrasound-guided ET (US) and 61 patients had clinical touch embryo transfer without ultrasound guidance (Non-US). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, cause of infertility, and the characteristics of the IVF cycle. The pregnany rate (42.0%: 40.9%, p=0.9043) and implantation rate (26.6%: 23.1%; p=0.5057) were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant improvement in pregnancy and implantation rates, following the use of ultrasound guidance during ET, but ultrasound assistance would suggest that decrease in cervical and uterine trauma, decrease in the total duration of ET time, and increase in the easy transfer rate can play a positive role in embryo transfer.

Key Words: IVF, Embryo transfer, Ultrasound, Pregnancy rate