Influence of various tubal surgeries to serum antimullerian hormone level and outcome of the subsequent IVF-ET treatment

Abstract

Objective: To compare the influence of various tubal surgeries to ovarian reserve via serum level of antimullerian hormone (AMH) and the subsequent in vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation (IVF-ET) outcome in patients with simple tubal infertility.

Study design: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 134 IVF cycles undegone by 26 and 34 cases with bilateral and unilateral salpingectomy, respectively, 23 cases with bilateral oviducts interrupted in the proximal and 51 cases with bilateral oviducts obstruction without intervention as controls.

Results: Serum AMH displayed its great superiority to traditional markers of ovarian reserve in correspondence with antral follicles count and decisive effect for the number of oocytes retrieved after stimulation in each group. No significant differences on ovarian reserve and responsiveness or IVF-ET outcome existed among four groups comparable on essential characteristics, except for numerically higher clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate after various tubal surgeries versus no intervention for bilateral oviducts obstruction. Especially, bilateral salpingectomy precursed the statistically highest implantation rate (51.0% versus 28.0%, 39.1%, 30.4%) and numerically best IVF outcome.

Conclusion: Tubal surgical procedures have some beneficial effect for improving IVF outcome without significant impact on ovarian reserve or responsiveness. Bilateral salpingectomy appears to be an appropriate procedure before IVF treatment for bilateral salpingitis, especially hydrosalpinx.

• IVF-ET
• serum AMH
• simple tubal infertility
• tubal surgery

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr Li Gao, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, for her contribution as a technical assistant in this research.