Effect of macroscopic or microscopic blood and mucus on the success rates of embryo transfers.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of microscopic and macroscopic contamination of embryo transfer (ET) catheters with blood or mucus on in vitro fertilization (IVF)-ET success rates.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Infertility practice in teaching community hospital.


METHODS
Four hundred seventy patients undergoing IVF-ET.


METHODS
Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and IVF-ET.


METHODS
Implantation rate (IR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR).


RESULTS
The IR and CPR of IVF-ETs were comparable regardless of the presence (26.59% and 48.78%, respectively) or absence (23.49% and 44.44%, respectively) of any type of contamination. Even when analyzing specific contamination categories (i.e., macroscopic blood, microscopic blood on the outer catheter, microscopic blood on the inner catheter, blood anywhere without mucus, mucus only, or blood and mucus combined), there was no statistical significance in IR (range: 21.17% to 26.69%) or CPR (range: 32.69% to 49.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
In general, IR and CPR appear to be unaffected by ET catheter contamination, whether it is macroscopic or microscopic presence of blood or mucus.
Moragianni
Vasiliki A
VA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, Pennsylvania 19001, USA. lbarmat@abington-repromed.com
Cohen
Jerry D
JD
Smith
Scott E
SE
Schinfeld
Jay S
JS
Somkuti
Stephen G
SG
Lee
Annette
A
Barmat
Larry I
LI
D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004958:Estradiol