title: Endometriosis and ovulatory disorder: reduced fertilisation in vitro compared with tubal and unexplained infertility.
abstract: In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) was carried out once for each of 104 couples who had a single cause of infertility. The group with tubal damage was used as the reference for normal fertilising capacity of both oocytes and sperms: the IVF rates were 68% (71/105) per mature oocyte and 88% (37/42) for couples from whom mature oocytes were recovered. Couples with poor sperm/mucus penetration had reduced IVF rates: 32% (12/38) per oocyte and 60% (9/15) per couple. Sperm function, which was judged normal by means of standard seminal analysis and mucus penetration, was confirmed by normal IVF in unexplained infertility: 63% (37/59) per oocyte and 90% (18/20) per couple. Despite favourable sperm function in their partners, women with endometriosis (without tubal damage) had reduced IVF rates: 33% (19/58) per oocyte and 60% (9/15) per couple. These findings indicate that ovulatory disorder is present in endometriosis and suggest that it causes the associated infertility.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Wardle
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hull
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013997:Time Factors