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Int J Clin Exp Pathol 2013;6(9):1911-1918

Original Article
The impact of endometriosis on IVF/ICSI outcomes

Xiyuan Dong, Xiuhua Liao, Rui Wang, Hanwang Zhang

Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, The
People’s Republic of China

Received July 8, 2013; Accepted August 12, 2013; Epub August 15, 2013; Published September 1, 2013

Abstract: This retrospective cohort study was aimed to investigate the impact of endometriosis on the IVF/ICSI outcomes. A total of 1027 cycles
of patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment in a reproductive medicine unit of academic hospital were enrolled. In the present study, 431 cycles of
patients with endometriosis constituted the study group, including 152 cycles of patients with stage I-II endometriosis and 279 cycles of
patients with stage III-IV endometriosis, while 596 cycles of patients with tubal factors infertility were considered as the control group. Ovarian
stimulation parameters and IVF/ICSI outcomes were compared. Patients with stage I-II and stage III-IV endometriosis required higher dosage
and longer duration of gonadotropins, but had lower day 3 high-quality embryos rate, when compared to patients with tubal infertility. In addition,
the number of oocytes retrieved, the number of obtained embryos, the number of day 3 high-quality embryos, serum E2 level on the day of hCG,
fertilization rate were lower in patients with stage III-IV endometriosis than those in tubal factors group. Except reduced implantation rate in
stage III-IV endometriosis group, no differences were found in other pregnancy parameters. This study suggests that IVF/ICSI yielded similar
pregnancy outcomes in patients with different stages of endometriosis and patients with tubal infertility. Therefore, IVF/ICSI can be considered
as an effective approach for managing endometriosis-associated infertility. (IJCEP1307016).

Keywords: Endometriosis, IVF, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate

Address correspondence to: Dr. Hanwang Zhang, Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of science
and technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China. Tel: +86-27-83662533; +86-13638610546; E-mail: hwzhang@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn