The role of diagnostic hysteroscopy before the first in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle

Objective: To assess the role of diagnostic hysteroscopy in pregnancy outcome in patients starting the first in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). Materials and methods: A total of 567 infertile women who underwent first IVF treatment were reviewed retrospectively. Two hundred and fifteen (37.9 %) women underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy before the scheduled controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Two hundred and eighty-four (50.1 %) women only accepted transvaginal ultrasonography (TVU), and 68 (12.0 %) woman did not receive hysteroscopy and TVU before COH. Primary outcome measure was the live birth rate. Secondary outcome measures were the implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and miscarriage rate. Results: There was no difference among three groups with regard to number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, and live birth rate per cycle. The implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly lower in the cycles with endometrial thickness <8 mm on human chorionic gonadotropin day (P = 0.001 and 0.018, respectively). Women with greater body mass index (>22) were associated with higher incidence of intrauterine lesions (22 of 36, 61.1 %). Conclusion: Diagnostic hysteroscopy prior to COH may not increase the implantation rate and live birth rate for the first IVF/ICSI programs. The efficacy of routinely performing diagnostic hysteroscopy before the first IVF program is needed to re-evaluate.