THE RELATIONSHIP OF ENDOMETRIOSIS TO ENDOMETRIAL SONOGRAPHIC STUDIES PRIOR TO ADMINISTRATION OF HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND EMBRYO-TRANSFER

The objective of this prospective comparative study was to investigate the relationship of endometriosis to endometrial thickness and sonogr aphic echo pattern prior to the administration of human chorionic gona dotrophin (HCG). Patients were matched by age and ovarian stimulation protocol. A total of 210 patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization (I VF) and embryo transfer at a university-related IVF centre were enlist ed. Of these, 105 women with laparoscopic confirmation of endometriosi s were compared to an equal number of patients with laparoscopic confi rmation of no endometriosis. Mean endometrial thickness did not differ between the groups (12.7 +/- 2.9 versus 12.2 +/- 2.5 mm). The distrib ution of echo patterns was also the same, irrespective of diagnosis. E valuation of clinical pregnancy rates showed no reduction in patients with endometriosis, regardless of stage, nor when comparing patients t o controls. Endometriosis has no effect on the endometrial thickness o r echo pattern measured by sonography prior to administration of HCG o r the pregnancy rates following IVF and embryo transfer.