The effect of endometrial polyps on outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles

Purpose: Our purpose was to investigate the effect of endometrial polyps on pregnancy outcome in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program. Methods: Endometrial polyps less than 2 cm in diameter were suspected by tr ansvaginal ultrasolmd before oocyte recovery in 83 patients. Forty-nine wom en (Group I) had standard IVF-ernbryo transfer while in 34 women (Group II) hysteroscopy and polypectomy were performed immediately following oocyte r etrieval, the suitable embryos were all frozen, and the replacement cycle t ook place a few months later: Results: Of the 32 hysteroscopies, a polyp was diagnosed in 24 cases (75%) and polypoid endometriurn in another 5 patients (15.6%). An endometrial pol yp was confirmed by histopathological examination in 14 women (58.3%). The pregnancy rare in group I was similar to the general pregnancy rate of our unit over the same period (22.4 vs 23.4%) bur the miscarriage rare was high er (27.3 vs 10.7%, P = 0.08). In croup II, the pregnancy and miscarriage ra tes were similar to those of the frozen embryo cycles at Bourn Hall (30.4 a nd 14.3 vs 22.3 and 12. 1%, respectively). Conclusions: Small endometrial polyps, less than 2 cm, do not decrease the pregnancy rate, but there is a trend toward increased pregnancy loss. A pol icy of oocyte retrieval, polypectomy, freezing the embryos, and replacing t hem in the future might increase the "take-home baby" rate.