TVUS-detected endometriosis lowers live birth odds in first fertility treatment

Deep infiltrating endometriosis on transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) decreases the chance for a live birth in women undergoing their first fertility treatment, according to Swedish research published January 19 in Fertility and Sterility. A team led by Sara Alson, MD, from Lund University in Malmö found that expectant mothers undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment and who have endometriosis had a nearly 10% lower chance of a live birth compared with those without the disease. “Our results contradict those that suggest that IVF treatment can completely counter the negative effects of endometriosis seen on fertilization in vivo,” Alson and co-authors wrote. Endometriosis affects about 10-15% of women of reproductive age and is tied to chronic inflammation and subfertility. However, the cause of subfertility by endometriosis is not well understood. IVF and ICSI are assisted reproductive treatments explored as potential ways to counteract the subfertility effects of endometriosis. There is conflicting evidence, though, as to their respective effectiveness on liver birth rates. TVUS meanwhile is a first-line imaging approach to diagnose endometriomas and deep infiltrating endometriosis. The Alson team evaluated the cumulative live birth rate after the first IVF or ICSI treatment in women with or without deep infiltrating endometriosis diagnosed by TVUS. It used group definitions from the International Deep Endometriosis ...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Ultrasound Womens Imaging Source Type: news