Assessment of Sub-Endometrial Junction Zone by 3-Dimensional Transvaginal Ultrasound in Unexplained Recurrent Implantation Failure and Its Effect on ICSI Outcomes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sub-endometrial junction zone (JZ) plays an important role in most of reproductive functions. OBJECTIVE: To find out the effect of the sub-endometrial JZ thickness assessment by 3-D trans-vaginal ultrasound (TVUS) on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in patients with unexplained recurrent implantation failure (RIF). SETTING: . STUDY DESIGN: A prospective observational study. METHDS: Fifty couples with history of unexplained RIF in previous ICSI cycles and prepared for another ICSI cycle (group I) and fifty couples with unexplained infertility prepared for ICSI for the first time (group II) had been included in this study. At time of ovum pick up, 3-DTVUS was done for all cases in both groups for assessment of sub endometrial junction zone thickness and correlated with ICSI outcome. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between group I and group II in JZ thickness in the 3 uterine regions (fundus, anterior and posterior walls) with p < 0.001, but there were mildly statistically significant differences between both groups in chemical and clinical pregnancy rates with p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The thickness of JZ in patients with history of unexplained RIF was higher than those with unexplained infertility scheduled for ICSI. The JZ thickness was inversely correlated with increased embryo implantation rates in ICSI procedures, the thinner the JZ thickness was associated with higher pregnancy rates (both chemical and clinical pregnancy rates).