Endometriosis affects the number of retrieved oocytes but not early embryonic development and live birth: a retrospective analysis of 716 IVF cycles

Abstract

To investigate the potential effect of endometriosis on embryo development and clinical outcomes, a retrospective analysis of 716 women undergoing their first standard in vitro fertilization (sIVF) cycles (205 endometriosis and 511 with tubal factor infertility) was performed. The endometriosis group included women with an ultrasonographic or surgical diagnosis. Control subjects were women diagnosed with tubal factor infertility by laparoscopy or hysterosalpingogram. The primary outcome of the study was live birth. Cumulative live birth was also assessed in a subgroups analysis. After adjusting for confounders we found no significant difference in fertilization rate, blastulation, top–quality blastocyst, live birth, cumulative live birth (subgroups analysis) and miscarriage rate. In the endometriosis group, the number of retrieved oocytes was smaller (6.94 ± 4.06 Vs 7.50 ± 4.6, adjusted p < 0.05). We observed a statistically significant difference in the percentage of day–3 embryos with ≥8 blastomeres (33.12 ± 22.72 endometriosis vs, 40.77 ± 27.62 tubal factor, adjusted p < 0.01) and a negative correlation between the presence of endometriomas and a number of retrieved oocytes [B coefficient =–1.41, 95%CI (–2.31–0.51), adjusted p = 0.002]. Our results suggest that endometriosis affects the number of retrieved oocytes but not embryo development and live birth.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• standard in vitro fertilization
• blastulation rate
• embryo development
• live birth

Authors contribution

All authors contributed to the conception of this original article. A.Ba. and M.Da. designed the study, collected and interpreted the data, and drafted the manuscript. G.I., F.P. and C.Z. were involved in drafting the manuscript. G.C. revised the manuscript. G.P. and A.Bo. critical reading of the manuscript. All authors approved the submitted version.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the authors’ institution.