Clinical observations of sequential therapy with Chinese medicine and hysteroscopic mechanical stimulation of the endometrium in infertile patients with repeated implantation failure undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical effect of sequential therapeutic intervention Yupei Qisun [compensating for weakness by invigorating Kidney (Shen) and Spleen (Pi) in advance] in Chinese medicine (CM) and hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation on the treatment of infertile patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF); and to study the differences in patients' endometrial thickness and type on the day of embryo transfer, serum hormone levels on embryo transfer day and clinical pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: In the clinical study, 168 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles for couples with RIF conforming to the research protocol were randomly divided into three groups: a CM group with 56 cycles (CM combined with FET), a hysteroscopy group with 55 cycles (hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation), and a control group with 57 cycles (conventional FET). Differences in endometrial thickness on the embryo transfer day, levels of serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) on the embryo transfer day, the E2/P ratio on the embryo transfer day, biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rate, abnormal pregnancy rate and other indices were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Endometrial thickness, E2 and P levels, and the E2/P ratio on embryo transfer day and other factors had no significant differences among groups. The biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and implantation rates of the CM and hysteroscopy groups were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences between these two groups. The abnormal pregnancy rate had no significant difference among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential therapy of Yupei Qisun could significantly improve the clinical outcomes of rif-fet cycles, being equivalent to hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation, and provided a reliable method to treat such infertile couples.

[Application of fallopian tube embolization before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer dealing with the hydrosalpinx].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of the fallopian tubes embolization for the hydrosalpinx before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). METHODS: The fallopian tubes embolization was performed on 46 hydrosalpinx patients. First, the hysterosalpingography was performed to show the positions and shape of the hydrosalpinx. Then the hydrops was drawn into the celiac cavity in order to be absorbed after performing fallopian tube recanalization. Finally, transvaginal therapy was performed, putting the embolization microcoils into the fallopian tube through a micro-catheter One month after the fallopian tubes embolization, hysterosalpingography was conducted to check for the effectiveness of the embolization. After 3 months, all the 46 patients received the treatment of IVF-ET. RESULTS: The interventional treatment of 82 fallopian tubes obtained one time success among 46 cases of fallopian tubes embolization. Among them, obvious results were achieved in 72 fallopian tubes, taking up 88% of the total; effective results were seen in 10 fallopian tubes, accounting for 12% of the total. No one was invalid. In the same period, compared with the 91 cases of non-hydrosalpinx as the control group, the embolization group of patients achieved a higher fertilization rate (69%), and clinical pregnancy rate (41%), compared with the control group (63% and 39% respectively), but without a significant difference ( P>0.05). However, the ectopic pregnancy rate (0) and the abortion rate (8%) were significantly lower than the control group (8%, 16% respectively; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fallopian tubes embolization used in hydrosalpinx treatment before IVF-ET is an innovative approach, simple, safe, economical, with no negative impact on ovarian function. It can significantly increase the clinical pregnancy rate and prevent the occurrence of tubal pregnancy. It is a feasible and effective method.