Dummy embryo transfer: a technique that minimizes the problems of embryo transfer and improves the pregnancy rate in human in vitro fertilization.
Three hundred thirty-five patients selected for in vitro fertilization (IVF) were randomly divided into two groups. Group A (n = 167) was subjected to dummy embryo transfer (ET) before the start of IVF treatment to choose the most suitable catheter for each patient. Group B (n = 168) started their IVF treatment without dummy ET. Embryo transfer technique was difficult in 50 cases (29.8%) in group B, whereas no difficulty was met in group A. Pregnancy rate and implantation rate (22.8%, 7.2%) in group A were significantly higher than in group B (13.1%, 4.3%). The lower pregnancy rate in group B is due to the very low pregnancy rate (4%) in difficult ET cases. Dummy ET is a simple procedure that determines the most suitable ET catheter for each patient and avoids unexpected difficult and failed ET.
Mansour
R
R
Egyptian IVF-ET Center, Cairo University.
Aboulghar
M
M
Serour
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy