Efficacy of laparoscopic electrocoagulation in infertile patients with minimal or mild endometriosis

Abstract

The cumulative pregnancy rates in 17 infertile patients with minimal or mild endometriosis who underwent laparoscopic electrocoagulation were compared with those of 20 similar patients who underwent only diagnostic laparoscopy. A life-table method of analysis was used. No significant differences in pregnancy rates was evident at either 6 months (p greater than 0.5) or 12 months (p greater than 0.5) of follow-up. These results question the use of laparoscopic electrocoagulation for the treatment of infertile patients with minimal or mild endometriosis.

No difference in cycle pregnancy rate and in cumulative live-birth rate between women with surgically treated minimal to mild endometriosis and women with unexplained infertility after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination

“…The hypothesis that surgical removal of minimal to mild endometriosis improves fecundity has been confirmed by some (4,5) but not by all (6,7) investigators in mostly retrospective controlled studies. Recently, in a randomized, controlled Canadian trial, the hypothesis was confirmed that laparoscopic resection or ablation of minimal to mild endometriosis and associated adhesions enhances fecundity (8).…”

Infertile women with and without endometriosis: A case control study of luteal phase and other infertility conditions

“…Thus, the suggested endocrinologically related pathogenesis of endometriosis and myomas (8) cannot be sustained by our data, at least in EAI. Although in some studies poor sperm characteristics (9) or function (10) have been described studying selected populations, in our infertile couples sperm characteristics were similar in EAI and NEI, or even somewhat better in EAI. This probably reflects a similar frequency of subfertility in both populations.…”

Semen profiles of male partners in females presenting with endometriosis-associated subfertility

“…Dahlberg (17) reported on the presence of asymptomatic bacteriospermia in male partners of patients with endometriosis, and Mahmood et al (18) and Waller et al (19) speculated on the possible association between male infertility and the development of endometriosis in the female. Arumugam (20) reported on sperm dysfunction in partners of infertile patients with minimal or mild endometriosis, using sperm penetration testing with bovine cervical mucus.…”