The Use of Tenaculum During Intrauterine Insemination May Not Affect the Pregnancy Outcome

PURPOSE: The association between tenaculum application to the cervix just before embryo transfer and lower pregnancy rate has been reported. However, studies on the use of tenaculum in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles are not available. This study attempted to investigate whether the use of tenaculum affects the clinical outcomes of IUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and thirty three CC/hMG/IUI cycles of one hundred and forty three couples were recruited at Seoul National University Hospital from October 2006 to December 2008. Mock insemination and IUI with or without tenaculum application to the cervix were also performed, and clinical pregnancy rate was compared. RESULTS: The incidence of difficult mock insemination at the beginning of cycle was higher in the tenaculum use group (p < 0.001). No significant statistical difference in the clinical pregnancy rate was observed between the groups with or without tenaculum application (12.1% vs. 18.5%; p = 0.175), which was not influenced by the difficulty of mock insemination. CONCLUSION: The use of tenaculum during IUI may not affect the pregnancy outcome. Our results need to be confirmed by a prospective study in a larger population.

La inseminación artificial como tratamiento de la pareja estéril: informe preliminar / Artificial insemination as treatment for sterile couples: preliminary report

El propósito de este estudio fue demostrar la utilidad de la inseminación artificial intrauterina en parejas con esterilidad que no lograron el embarazo mediante relaciones sexuales e inductores de la ovulación. El estudio fue de tipo prospectivo, longitudinal, abierto, en la Clínica de Esterilidad e Infertilidad del Hospital Central Militar, en un periodo de tres años. El tamaño de la muestra fue de 120 parejas. El estudio se realizó en tres etapas: cada una tuvo una duración aproximada de tres ciclos (tres meses). Previamente se realizó laparoscopía pélvica