Endometrial scratching before euploid embryo transfer: a case-control study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Gynecologic Surgery

Background:

• Endometrial scratching is a minimally invasive procedure sometimes used to improve implantation rates.
• Its efficacy in conjunction with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and frozen embryo transfer (FET) remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of endometrial scratching on the success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) using frozen embryo transfer (FET) in women undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study comparing women who underwent endometrial scratching (biopsy) at oocyte retrieval to a control group without scratching.
• Key endpoints included pregnancy loss, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR), live birth rate, and incidence of chronic endometritis (CE).

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in total pregnancy rates, CPR, or OPR between the scratching and control groups.
• The incidence of chronic endometritis (CE) was 10.8% in the scratching group.
• A significantly higher risk of second-trimester loss was noted in the group that underwent endometrial scratching.

Conclusions:

• Endometrial scratching prior to frozen euploid embryo transfer did not enhance pregnancy outcomes.
• The procedure was associated with an increased likelihood of second-trimester pregnancy loss.
• Chronic endometritis (CE) was a common finding in patients who underwent endometrial scratching at the time of oocyte retrieval.