Students:
Brigitte Helou
Dana Hamdan
Supervisor:
Dr. Mulham Al Sukhon
Abstract:
Background: The Impact of Uterine Fibroid on the Outcome of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in Northern and Middle West Bank of Palestine has never been studied adequately; regionally the subject has been rarely tackled. There is not enough information about whether to treat leiomyomas prior to performing IVF or to attempt IVF initially. The case control comparative method is followed in order to study the problem.
Methods: Data was acquired from the archives of the IVF centers in two major West Bank cities. The sample size was calculated to be 226 women taken over a two year period (January 1st, 2010 until January 1st 2012). However, 32 cases only were found and were scrutinized with the 226 controls which were selected as each tenth of the women who did not have leiomyoma. Matching the cases with controls was not needed as the variables (age, number of cycles of IVF, number of embryo transfer and other infertility factors) were insignificantly related to the pregnancy rate in the selected controls and cases. The data collected was analyzed by SPSS version 17 software.
Results: The results showed clearly that the presence of leiomyoma decreases the IVF success rate. Regarding the characteristics of leiomyoma itself in the case group (size, number, location, and endometrial distortion) neither of them has shown to have a significant relationship with the pregnancy rate. Furthermore, the effect of leiomyoma presence was found to increase the miscarriage rate.
Conclusion: the results of the analysis revealed that the leiomyoma presence was found to decrease the IVF success rate and to increase the rate of miscarriage in the presence of pregnancy. Keywords: leiomyoma; pregnancy rate; miscarriage; preterm delivery; ectopic pregnancy; term delivery; in vitro fertilization; infertility, assisted reproductive technology
