Laparoscopic evaluation following failure to achieve pregnancy after ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of laparoscopic evaluation of the pelvis after failure to achieve pregnancy with clomiphene citrate-induced ovulation and to determine whether predictors for significant pelvic pathology can be isolated.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary care academic medical center.


METHODS
Ninety-two patients failing to conceive after four ovulatory cycles with clomiphene citrate with a normal hysterosalpingogram who underwent laparoscopic evaluation of the pelvis.


METHODS
Laparoscopy.


METHODS
Presence of pelvic pathology and predictors of pelvic disease.


RESULTS
Of the 92 patients studied, 32 patients (34.8%) had a "positive" laparoscopy (i.e., stages III and IV endometriosis, an endometrioma, pelvic adhesions, and/or tubal disease), 27 patients (29.3%) had stage I or II endometriosis, and 30 patients (32.6%) had a normal pelvis. The predictors for intrapelvic disease were a history of dyspareunia, no prior use of oral contraceptive pills, and no prior use of any form of contraception. Almost 40% of women with predictors had a "positive" laparoscopy, compared with only 12.5% of patients without predictors; however, the majority of patients (91.3%) had at least one predictor.


CONCLUSIONS
More than one third of the patients failing to conceive after four ovulatory cycles of clomiphene citrate had significant intrapelvic pathology. Although predictors for intrapelvic disease were isolated, their high prevalence reduced their predictive value.
Capelo
Frank Ochoa
FO
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Kumar
Ashim
A
Steinkampf
Michael P
MP
Azziz
Ricardo
R
D002996:Clomiphene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000453:epidemiology; D017211:Treatment Failure
D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D002996:Clomiphene