Association between endometrial thickness before ovulation, live birth, and placenta previa rates in clomiphene citrate-treated cycles.

BACKGROUND: Although a recent study reported that the pregnancy outcomes in the first trimester were more correlated with endometrial thickness on the day of the trigger than with endometrial thickness on the day of single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer, it remains unclear whether endometrial thickness on the day of the trigger can predict live birth rate after a single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether endometrial thickness on the trigger day is associated with live birth rates and whether modifying the single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer criteria to reflect endometrial thickness on the trigger day improved the live birth rate and reduced maternal complications in a clomiphene citrate-based minimal stimulation cycle. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective study of the outcomes of 4440 treatment cycles of women who underwent single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer on day 2 of the retrieval cycle. From November 2018 to October 2019, single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer was performed when endometrial thickness on the day of single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer was ≥8 mm (criterion A). From November 2019 to August 2020, single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer was conducted when endometrial thickness on the day of the trigger was ≥7 mm (criterion B). RESULTS: A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that increased endometrial thickness on the trigger day was significantly associated with an improvement in the live birth rate after single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer (adjusted odds ratio, 1.098; 95% confidence interval, 1.021-1.179). The live birth rate was significantly higher in the criterion B group than in the criterion A group (22.9% and 19.1%, respectively; P=.0281). Although endometrial thickness on the day of single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer was sufficient, the live birth rate tended to be lower when endometrial thickness on the trigger day was <7.0 mm than when endometrial thickness on the day of the trigger was ≥7.0 mm. The risk for placenta previa was reduced in the criterion B group when compared with the criterion A group (4.3% and 0.6%, respectively; P=.0222). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an association of decreased endometrial thickness on the trigger day with low birth rate and a high incidence of placenta previa. A modification of the criteria for a single fresh-cleaved embryo transfer based on endometrial thickness may improve pregnancy and maternal outcomes.

Effects of gonadotropin administration on clinical outcomes in clomiphene citrate-based minimal stimulation cycle IVF.

PURPOSE: Exogenous gonadotropins (EGn) have been used occasionally in clomiphene citrate (CC)-based minimal stimulation cycles to compensate insufficient secretion of endogenous gonadotropin; however, the effectiveness of EGn supplementation remains unknown. In the present study, we assessed whether EGn improved pregnancy outcomes in CC-based minimal stimulation cycles. METHODS: A total of 223 patients treated with CC and EGn (CC-EGn group) were matched one to one to patients treated with CC only (CC group) by propensity score matching. Embryonic and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively compared between the groups. RESULTS: The numbers of retrieved oocytes, fertilized oocytes, cleaved embryos, and cryopreserved blastocysts were increased in the CC-EGn group compared with the CC group. However, the cumulative live birthrate was comparable between the two groups. Although the increased number of retrieved oocytes was correlated significantly with improvement of the cumulative live birthrate in both groups, the correlation tended to be lower in the CC-EGn group than in the CC group (odds ratio, 1.193 vs 1.553). CONCLUSIONS: In CC-based minimal stimulation cycles, the stimulation should be started with CC only, and EGn administration should be scheduled only if insufficient secretion of endogenous gonadotropin is observed in the late follicular phase.

Vaginal cesarean section for second-trimester therapeutic abortion.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy does not increase the risk of bleeding from a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), but once an AVM has bled during pregnancy, the rate of rebleeding during the same pregnancy is high. Therefore, termination of the pregnancy is an option for patients in whom the AVM is located in an eloquent area. We report a woman with an intracerebral hemorrhage from a brain AVM who underwent a second-trimester therapeutic abortion by vaginal cesarean section. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old multiparous woman visited our emergency department at 17 weeks of gestation complaining of a sudden-onset headache with vomiting. She had no history of headaches or seizures. Based on the clinical presentation, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, we made a clinical diagnosis of Spetzler-Martin Grade III AVM. Before undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery as a primary treatment, we advised her to terminate her pregnancy and performed a vaginal cesarean section at 19 weeks of gestation. Two months later, the patient underwent gamma knife surgery for the underlying lesion, without complications. Follow-up angiography and magnetic resonance imaging showed that the AVM had disappeared completely. CONCLUSION: Although its indications are limited, vaginal cesarean section is a useful option for terminating a pregnancy that compensates for the disadvantages of dilatation and curettage and systemic abortifacients.

Effects of parity and gestational age on second-trimester induction-abortion interval in combination with osmotic dilators and gemeprost.

BACKGROUND: The true prognostic factors for induced medical abortion are unknown. We sought to investigate the effects of a patient's obstetric parameters on the induction-abortion interval in second-trimester medical abortion. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 216 consecutive women. Pregnancy was terminated with cervical preparation using osmotic dilators followed by 1 mg vaginal gemeprost administered every 3 h for a maximum of five doses in the first 24 h. All variables are expressed in categorical form (parity, gestational age, maternal age and body mass index) and analyzed by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Parity ≥ 3 was associated with a shorter duration of the induction-abortion interval (adjusted hazards ratio 1.96; 95% confidence interval 1.13-3.40). A gestational age ≥ 16 weeks was associated with a longer duration of the induction-abortion interval (0.71; 0.52-0.98). No significant association was found in maternal age and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: In combination with osmotic dilators and gemeprost, gestational age and parity are independent factors that affected the induction to abortion interval of second-trimester medical abortion.