Sonohysterographic screening before in vitro fertilization

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Gynecology

Background:

• Uterine cavity evaluation is crucial for successful in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Traditional methods like hysterosalpingography and hysteroscopy have limitations.
• Sonohysterography offers a potentially less invasive and more cost-effective alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of sonohysterography for screening the uterine cavity prior to IVF.
• To compare sonohysterography findings with existing hysterosalpingography and hysteroscopy data.
• To evaluate the impact of sonohysterography on IVF pregnancy rates and associated costs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 72 women undergoing IVF-ET.
• Sonohysterography performed using saline infusion via an intracervical balloon catheter with concurrent vaginal ultrasound.
• Comparison of sonohysterographic findings with previous uterine evaluations and subsequent pregnancy outcomes.

Main Results:

• Sonohysterography detected cavitary lesions in 11.1% of patients, with 6 of 8 cases confirmed and treated by hysteroscopy.
• Pregnancy rates were comparable between patients who underwent sonohysterography and those evaluated by other methods (48.6% conception rate).
• Estimated cost savings of $275 per patient compared to in-office hysteroscopy.

Conclusions:

• Sonohysterography is a valuable tool for uterine evaluation before IVF.
• It demonstrates advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and comparable efficacy to hysteroscopy and hysterosalpingography.
• This method can aid in optimizing the IVF process by ensuring uterine health.