The Comparison Between the Pregnancy Outcome after Easy Embryo Transfer and Difficult Embryo Transfer

Background: Th e role of embryo transfer (ET) in the success of invitro fertilization/intra cytoplasmic sperm injection treatment is not well understood. In the present study we classified ET technique as difficult and easy types according to certain strictcriteria, and compared the pregnancy outcome of the two ET types. Methods: This study was performed retrosp ectively on 295 infertile patients undergoing 308 embryo transfer cycles during May 2006-March 2007 in Mashhad IYF center. These cycles were divided into two groups. Group I had an easy embryo transfer (n=248) and group II had a difficult embryo transfer (n=60) . The ET was considered as easy if the catheter insertion was successfully achieved without difficulty or needed s light manipulations of speculum or outer sheath of the catheter. ET was considered as difficult if slight maneuvers did not result in successful catheter inserti on, tenaculum was used , or there was a need to use rigid cathe ters. Observation of beating fetal heart in a gesta tiona l sac of 6-7 weeks cons idered as positive pregnancy. Comparison of the pregnancy outcome between both groups wa s performed by using Student I test and Chi-sq uare test. The resu lts were show n as X2±SD. P value 0.05 was cons idered statistically si gnificant. Results: The differences between two groups rega rding age, number of fo llic les 2: 14 mm , number of retrieved oo cytes, and number of transferred embryos were not s ignificant (P 0.1). The total number of pregnancies was 55 (17.9%): 48 (19.4%) in gro up I and 7 (11 .7%) in gro up II. The d ifference was not s ignifica nt (P =0 .16 3). Conclusion : Although the rate of positive pre gnancy with easy ET was higher than difficult ET , there was no significant difference between the two groups (P =0. 163). This may be due to the type of c lass ifica tion of eas y and diffi cult, or fewer patients .