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Is GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) the best treatment for unexplained infertility?
A P Murdoch1, M Harris, M Mahroo
1Northern Regional Fertility Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Objective:
To compare the cumulative pregnancy rates after gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) with the cumulative spontaneous pregnancy rates in couples with unexplained infertility.
Design:
A contemporaneous study in a single group of patients.
Setting:
Northern Regional Fertility Centre.
Subjects:
76 couples with unexplained infertility of more than 3 years duration.
Interventions:
Successful pregnancies were recorded during at least 3 months before GIFT and up to 21 months after a maximum of three cycles of GIFT treatment.
Main Outcome Measures:
Pregnancy resulting in a live birth.
Results:
Average monthly fecundability without treatment was 0.021 and after GIFT was 0.14 (P less than 0.001). This was reflected as a cumulative pregnancy rate of 52% after three cycles of GIFT and 30% after 24 months without treatment.
Conclusions:
The chance of having a baby after one cycle of GIFT is significantly greater than the chance in a spontaneous cycle. However, considering the cumulative pregnancy rates, we suggest that if GIFT is to be a realistic treatment option, it should be offered for more than one cycle.