The role of diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy in assisted reproductive technologies.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of unsuspected endouterine abnormalities in patients for whom IVF-ET repeatedly fails.

DESIGN: Prospective study.

SETTING: Infertility Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

PATIENT(S): One hundred patients for whom two IVF-ET cycles failed in which > or =2 good-quality embryos were transferred.

INTERVENTION(S): In-office diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Relation between IVF-ET failure and unsuspected endouterine abnormalities.

RESULT(S): In 18 patients, hysteroscopy showed an important unsuspected endouterine abnormality. Fifteen of these patients did not become pregnant after IVF-ET, and 3 became pregnant but had a spontaneous abortion. Histologic examination of the endometrium revealed chronic endometritis in 1 patient and tuberculous endometritis in another.

CONCLUSION(S): Previous studies have reported that the incidence of endouterine abnormalities is high in patients undergoing IVF-ET. Our data confirm the previous reports and lead us to conclude that diagnostic hysteroscopy should be performed on all patients before they undergo IVF-ET.