Association of endometrial blood flow as determined by a modified colour Doppler technique with subsequent outcome of in-vitro fertilization

An endometrial thickness of 10 mm or more has been reported to be favourabl e for embryo implantation. Nevertheless, many women participating in in-vit ro fertilization (IVF) programmes have adequate endometrial thickness but d o not achieve satisfactory implantation. With the aid of power Doppler sono graphy, we examined the association between intra-endometrial vascularity a nd reproductive outcome. For this study, we enrolled only women with endome trial thickness greater than or equal to 10 mm and excluded those with appa rent endometrial pathologies, Of 95 women undergoing IVF cycles, there resu lted 37 intrauterine pregnancies. The women were of similar age, body mass index, peak oestradiol concentration and endometrial thickness, and a simil ar number of embryos were transferred. Those women with an intra-endometria l power Doppler area (EPDA) <5 mm(2) achieved a significantly lower pregnan cy rate (23.5 versus 47.5%, P = 0.021) and implantation rate (8.1 versus 20 .2%, P = 0.003) than those with an EPDA greater than or equal to 5 mm(2). W e conclude that, in addition to endometrial thickness, EPDA may serve as a factor indicative of endometrial receptivity, Women with adequate endometri al thickness but a small EPDA tended to have an unfavourable reproductive o utcome.