Increased anticardiolipin antibodies are positively related to the uterineartery pulsatility index in unexplained infertility

The objective of the study was to evaluate, in patients with unexplained in fertilty, the possible relationship between anticardiolipin antibodies and indices of uterine artery Doppler measurements, A total of 46 infertile wom en participated in the study and underwent ovarian stimulation. Transvagina l ultrasonography and colour Doppler were performed on the day of embryo tr ansfer and patients were divided on the basis of pulsatility index (PI): gr oup I, PI <2.5; group II, PI 2.5-3.0; and group III, PI >3.0. On the same d ay that Doppler analysis took place, peripheral blood was obtained and circ ulating anticardiolipin antibodies were assayed. The response to ovarian st imulation was similar in the three studied groups. No significant differenc es in oestradiol and ultrasonographic parameters were observed between the groups, A significant increase in anticardiolipin antibodies was observed i n those patients with higher resistance to flow at the level of the uterine artery. A significant relationship was found between the uterine artery PI and anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G class (F = 14.35; P = 0.001), and imm unoglobulin M class (F = 5.88; P = 0.020). It is concluded that, in unexpla ined infertility, anticardiolipin antibodies may be involved in uterine vas cular modifications and that Doppler bow analysis of uterine arteries may b e an important tool in the assessment and management of ovarian stimulation .