IntroductionA therapeutic option frequently proposed for infertility is to proceed first with intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. Little is known on the effect of uterine contractions on IUI success rates. We postulated that uterine contractions may help with sperm migration in the women’s genital tract. Our objective is to compare the efficacy of IUI when performed with and without a tenaculum forceps on the cervix.Methods and analysisWe are conducting a randomised controlled trial with women aged 18–40 years old, diagnosed with primary or secondary infertility due to endometriosis, mild to moderate male factor, unexplained infertility or ovulatory dysfunction, receiving IUI treatments. On the day of their IUI, women will receive standard care treatment plus or minus the planned use of a Pozzi tenaculum forceps on the cervix. Each of the 800 women will be randomised only once for their first three IUI. They will be randomised in one of the following sequences: tenaculum—no tenaculum—tenaculum or, no tenaculum—tenaculum—no tenaculum. We will compare the live birth rate (primary outcome) and the clinical pregnancy rate (secondary outcome) after IUI treatment. We also plan on assessing global satisfaction of women, pain levels felt during IUI and discrepancies in primary and secondary outcomes in interventions performed by attendings compared with trainees.Ethics and disseminationThis research project was approved by the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec’s ethics review board (no 2018–4084). Pozzi tenaculum application is associated with mild pain, estimated at 33 on a Visual Analogue Scale ranging from 0 to 100. We plan on publishing an article to present our findings in a peer-reviewed journal as well as presenting the research abstract at conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03435809.
Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms among women diagnosed with unexplained infertility and to identify risk factors. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study. Forty-two women from the CHU de Quebec fertility clinic were recruited. Women completed the ‘Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale’ (HADS) self-administered questionnaire, used to estimate prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms (score ≥ 8). Results: Overall, 55% ( n = 23) of participants were identified with anxiety or depressive symptoms according to the HADS questionnaire. Anxiety symptoms were more frequent (55%) compared with depressive symptoms (10%). According to a logistic regression model, being under 35 years old [odds ratio (OR) = 16.6, confidence interval (CI): 1.9–25.0], never had a previous spontaneous abortion (OR = 5.6, CI: 1.1–43.5) and never sought fertility treatment (OR = 5.5, CI: 1.1–45.4) were associated with a higher risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Anxiety and depressive symptoms are common among women with unexplained infertility, and strategies should be developed to better support and treat this high-risk population.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.