title: Effect of the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique on pregnancy rates in single embryo transfer cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate effect of the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique on pregnancy rates in single embryo transfer intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study was performed at the Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital. Three hundred and thirteen women who underwent ICSI were included in the study. Subjects were categorized according to the embryo transfer technique; Group 1 (n: 232): easy transfer with a soft catheter, Group 2 (n: 45): after external guidance transfer, and Group 3 (n: 36): difficult transfer with a stylet. Basal parameters, clinical and laboratory IVF outcomes and pregnancy rates were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infertility etiology, basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, antral follicle count, duration of stimulation, total dose of gonadotropin, peak estradiol levels, endometrial thickness, oocyte number, 2 PN, and fertilization rate were similar between the three groups (p>0.05). Despite the decreased pregnancy rate in Group 3, there were no differences in clinical pregnancy rates among the groups (p=0.204).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Embryo transfer is one of the critical steps in assisted reproduction procedures. Using the afterloaded external guidance embryo transfer technique did not improve pregnancy rates.
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nafiye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayla Sargın
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Oruç
authors.affiliation: Department of Embryology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tugba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeyrek
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Görkem
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Engin-Üstün
authors.affiliation: IVF Department, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cavidan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gülerman
keywords: Embryo transfer technique; IVF; pregnancy rates