Doppler ultrasound of the uterine and ovarian blood flow in unexplained infertility

ABSTRACT

This study included 20 women with primary unexplained infertility, 20 with secondary unexplained infertility and 20 fertile women, as a control group. There was a significant difference between the group with primary unexplained infertility and control group as regards the follicular size when measured at preovulatory and ovulatory periods which may be due to the presence of 2 cases with unruptured follicle with persistent size at 20 mm. However, there was no such difference observed among the second group with secondary unexplained infertility for all 20 cases in relation to control group. It was a significant increase of the RI of the ovarian and uterine arteries for both groups of unexplained infertility during the preovulatory phase [days 7 to 19], when compared with RI of the control group during the same phase, also the RI showed significant increase during the ovulatory period [days 12-16] among both of infertile groups when compared with the control group. There was no similar difference of both the follicular size and endometrial thickness between infertile and fertile women so, it appears that suboptimal uterine blood flow during critical time of the menstrual cycle may affect the uterine environment