2011년 유럽불임학회 (ESHRE)P-241 The pregnancy rate improved as endometrial thickness in intrauterine insemination. (인공수정 시술에서 자궁내막의 두께와 임신율과의 상관 관계)

J.H. Lee1, S.G. Kim1, Y.Y. Kim1, I.H. Park1, H.G. Sun1, K.H. Lee1
1 Mamapapa&Baby OBGY, Fertilization Lab., Ulsan, Korea South

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial thickness is significantly associated with fertility treatment outcome. However there is no reliable endometrium thickness by which receptive state of endometrium can be identified. The aim was to assess the relationships between endometrial thickness and IUI outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a retrospective study, the relationship between endometrial thickness and pregnancy rate has studied in 480 IUI cycles. Cycle parameters in pregnant and non-pregnant patients were compared. Endometrial thickness was measured by transvaginal ultrasound on the day of hCG administration. We examined the question of whether IUI is optimized by endometrial thickness. The patients were divided into four subgroups according to endometrial thickness: A (<8mm, n = 172), B (8-10mm, n = 178), C (10-12mm, n = 77), D (≥12mm, n = 24) The pregnancy and miscarriage rates were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age of all patients was 32.8 ± 3.0 years. The 480 cycles of IUI performed? during the study period in 80 pregnancies (17.4%), of which 71 proved to be ongoing pregnancies (15.4%). Endometrial thickness of pregnant patients was thicker than non-pregnant patients (9.3mm vs. 8.1mm. p < 0.05). The pregnancy rates among the 4 groups were A-11.6% (20/172), B-14.6% (26/178), C-32.5% (25/77) and D-37.5% (9/24), respectively. The pregnancy rates increased as the endometrium thickened (<14mm) and significantly higher rates were achieved in groups C and D compared with those in group A (p < 0.01). The miscarriage rates decreased as the endometrium thickened (A: 20.0%, B: 11.5%, C: 8.0%, D: 0%).

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that endometrial thickness can be considered as a main predictor of pregnancy rates in IUI cycles. Furthermore, pregnancy rates were shown to be higher when an endometrial thickness of at least 10 mm was achieved. Therefore, the results of the study suggest that clinicians providing IUI must pay attention to endometrial development when the endometrium reached at least 10 mm thickness.