Doppler Study of Uterine and Ovarian Arteries in Cases of Unexplained Infertility (Case Control Study)

Abstract

Background: Infertility defined as failure to conceive after 12 months of unprotected regular intercourse. Unexplained infertility describes couples with infertility in whom standard investigations including semen analysis, tests of ovulation, and tubal patency have no gross abnormality. Aim of Study: Mid-luteal phase resistant index (RI) and pulsatlity index (PI) of uterine and ovarian arteries evaluation in unexplained infertility patients and compare those parameters with fertile controls in order to reveal the possible role of the uterine perfusion abnormality in unexplained infertility. Patients &Methods: In this study, we included 100 participants presented to the outpatient clinic in Kasr El-Aini maternity hospital, they were classified into two groups: Group A: 50 participants presented with unexplained infertility either primary or secondary (the case group). Group B: 50 participants who had no history of infertility and multipara who came for any gynecological procedure (the control group) Primary outcome measures resistant index (RI) and pulsitility index (PI) of both uterine and ovarian arteries in mid luteal phase after measurement of serum progesterone level in both groups. Results: The uterine artery (RI) is higher in case group (0.86±0.06) (0.85 ±0.07) than in control group (0.77 ±0.04). The ovarian artery (RI) is higher in case group (0.66 ±0.03) (0.65±0.08) than in control group (0.63 ±0.02). The uterine artery (PI) is higher in case group (2.17±0.22) (2.14±0.16) than in control group (1.80 ±0.10) (1.80±0.15) and the ovarian artery (PI) is higher in case group (1.97±0.13) (1.97±0.12) than in control group (1.54± 0.17) (1.56±0.17) which all statistically significant. As regards to serum progesterone level it was higher in control group (12.87 ± 2.47) than in case group (12.66±3.17) which was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: From our study we found that uterine perfusion impairment could be of value in cases of unexplained infertility.