title: Comparative study on the role of diagnostic hysteroscopy in evaluation of the uterine cavity prior to in vitro fertilization in a developing country.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnostic hysteroscopy is a vital tool and a gold standard to evaluate the uterine cavity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of unsuspected intrauterine abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was done involving 870 asymptomatic, infertile women enrolled for IVF, who underwent a transvaginal ultrasound followed by office hysteroscopy. The presence of uterine cavity abnormalities was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transvaginal sonography revealed abnormal findings in 113 patients (12.9 %). Hysteroscopy confirmed the ultrasound findings in 76 (67.3 %) women with no obvious findings seen on hysteroscopy in 37 (32.7 %). Among the 757 women, who had a normal pelvic scan, abnormal findings were observed in 108 (14.2 %) on hysteroscopy, while the remaining 649 (85.7 %) patients had normal findings on hysteroscopy. Thus, a total of 184 (21.1 %) patients had confirmed abnormalities that required to be treated before performing IVF/ICSI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study highlights the relatively higher prevalence of intrauterine abnormalities in our patient population. Diagnosing and treating these abnormalities are imperative to improve the success of IVF treatment. Therefore, a routine diagnostic hysteroscopy in these patients becomes mandatory before proceeding with expensive procedures such as assisted reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Anupama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahadur
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: Neeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sumana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gurunath
authors.forename: Suneeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mittal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007194:India; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011127:Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*