UTERINE BLOOD-FLOW - ASSESSMENT IN AN INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION PROGRAM FOR UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate th diagnostic usefulness of color Doppler veloc imetry for infertility treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-one women underg oing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination with their husbands' semen due to unexplained infertility were enroll ed in the study. The Doppler waveforms of the uterine artery, subendom e-trial radial artery and intraovarian artery were analyzed around ovu lation, and the calculated pulsatility indices (Pls) were correlated w ith subsequent pregnancy results. RESULTS: Those women who conceived e xhibited a significantly lower uterine artery PI and higher frequency of positive diastolic blood flow in the subendometrial arteries shortl y after ovulation. The PI of the intraovarian arteries prior to ovulat ion was also significantly lower in conception cycles than in nonconce ption cycles. Uterine artery Pls between different cycles correlated w ell in the same individual. Lower uterine artery impedance was noted i n women receiving supplementation with human menopausal gonadotropins as compared to clomiphene citrate alone. CONCLUSION: Doppler velocimet ry is a useful tool for evaluating uterine receptiveness in infertilit y treatment. Intrinsically poor uterine perfusion should be investigat ed in cases of unexplained infertility.