The presence of blood in the transfer catheter negatively influences outcome at embryo transfer.

BACKGROUND: Embryo transfer (ET) influences pregnancy rates in patients undergoing assisted reproduction. Data are conflicting as to which variables affect ET success. This study examines variables that may affect outcome after ET in assisted reproductive technology patients who had high-quality embryos transferred. METHODS: Over a 23 month period, 669 consecutive cycles were examined. Only patients having grade I and grade II embryos, or blastocyst transfers, were included in this retrospective analysis. A total of 584 consecutive cycles met study criteria. At the time of ET, the following variables were recorded: aborted first attempt at ET; presence of blood and/or mucus in or on the transfer catheter after ET; ease of ET as judged by provider; need for mock embryo transfer immediately before the actual transfer and retention of embryos in the transfer catheter. These variables were retrospectively analysed for their impact on implantation rate (IR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR). RESULTS: There were 290 gestations (49.7% CPR). Multiple attempts at ET, subjective difficulty of ET, performance of a sham pass immediately prior to embryo transfer, and presence of mucus on or in the catheter did not affect the CPR or IR. No difference was noted in the mean age of patients having or lacking any of these factors. There was a significant association between the presence of blood on or in the catheter and decreased IR (P = 0.015) and CPR (P = 0.004). Retained embryos also decreased IR (P = 0.03). Multivariable analysis confirmed that the presence of blood on the transfer catheter was the most important of these transfer characteristics in predicting IR (P = 0.042) and CPR (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that when only high-grade embryos or blastocysts are transferred, the presence of blood on the catheter is associated with decreased IR and CPR in assisted reproduction.

Training of providers in embryo transfer: what is the minimum number of transfers required for proficiency?

BACKGROUND: Embryo transfer represents one of the most critical procedures in the practice of assisted reproduction. The objective of this study was to identify retrospectively the minimum number of embryo transfers required to train providers properly in this skill. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group consisted of 204 patients who received embryo transfers between January 1996 and March 2000 in a university-based programme of assisted reproduction. The main outcome measure was clinical pregnancies per embryo transfer. Five Fellow trainees performed a total of 204 embryo transfers for an overall pregnancy rate of 45.5% per embryo transfer (93/204). In comparison, the programme pregnancy rate per transfer for experienced providers was 47.3% (560/1179). A chronological graph of each individual trainee's experience for the first 50 embryo transfers performed suggested a lower initial pregnancy rate for three of the five trainees. To determine whether a learning curve might exist, results of the first 25 transfers were compared as a subgroup with the second 25 transfers. Pregnancy rates were lower for the 1-25 transfer subgroup than in the 26-50 subgroup for three of the five Fellow trainees, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Clinical pregnancy rates of Fellows-in-training were indistinguishable statistically from those of experienced staff by 50 transfers.

Surgically induced endometriosis attenuates accrual of bone mineral density in growing rats.

OBJECTIVE: A possible association of endometriosis with decreased bone mineral density in women has been proposed. It has been reported that cortical and trabecular bone mass of the distal portion of the radius is decreased in patients with endometriosis. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between endometriosis and bone mineral density with the use of a rat model. STUDY DESIGN: Cycling female Sprague-Dawley rats (180 days old) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. The treatment group (n = 16) underwent surgical induction of endometriosis. Female rats (n = 17) with surgically transplanted abdominal muscle served as control animals. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements were obtained before surgery and after 90 days with a Lunar DPX-MD+ (GE Lunar, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis) bone densitometer, with software standardized for small animal research. RESULTS: Experimental animals had grossly visible endometriotic disease at necropsy (90 days). The mean net change in total bone mineral density from baseline to 90 days in the control group was +0.019 +/- 0.002 g/cm2, whereas the mean net change in total bone mineral density for the experimental group was +0.013 +/- 0.002 g/cm2. The experimental group gained less bone than the control group (P = .02). CONCLUSION: The age-appropriate increase in bone mineral density known to occur in this animal model is attenuated by surgically induced endometriosis. This finding supports the idea that endometriosis might be associated with decreased bone mineral density.

Pregnancy rates after embryo transfer depend on the provider at embryo transfer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of individual providers on pregnancy outcome after embryo transfer. DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis. SETTING: University-based tertiary-care assisted reproductive technology program with 10 physician-providers. PATIENT(S): Six hundred and seventeen women who underwent 854 fresh embryo transfers between January 1996 and January 1999. INTERVENTION(S): Pregnancies after embryo transfer were recorded for each provider. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Establishment of a clinical pregnancy. RESULT(S): Three hundred ninety-three clinical pregnancies resulted from 854 embryo transfers, for an overall clinical pregnancy rate of 46.0% per embryo transfer. Three hundred forty-seven (40.6%) pregnancies were ongoing. The clinical pregnancy rate varied significantly between providers: for example, 17.0% (47 transfers) vs. 54.3% (57 transfers) (P<.05). Similarly, the ratio of high-grade embryos required to produce a gestational sac differed between providers. The number or quality of embryos transferred did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION(S): Significant differences were observed in pregnancy rates after embryo transfer done by different providers, suggesting that embryo transfer technique may influence pregnancy outcome in assisted reproductive technology.