Endometrial injury may increase the clinical pregnancy rate in normoresponders undergoing long agonist protocol ICSI cycles with single embryo transfer

Objective: To investigate the effect of endometrial injury on the clinical pregnancy rate in normoresponders undergoing long agonist protocol intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with single embryo transfer. Study design: Prospective case-control study. Methods: One hundred and eighteen women (age <35 years, normoresponders with Grade I or II embryos for transfer) were included. Women in the intervention group (n = 56) underwent endometrial biopsy on Day 3 of the menstrual cycle following downregulation. Women in the control group (n = 62) did not undergo endometrial biopsy. Results: The clinical and embryological characteristics were comparable in the two groups, and no significant difference was found in the fertilization rates (66.32% in the intervention group vs 70.23% in the control group). The clinical pregnancy rate was 44,2% in the intervention group and 29.0% in the control group (p = 0.025). Endometrial injury may increase the clinical pregnancy rate (odds ratio 2.27). The 'take home baby' rates were 33.9% and 17.7% in the intervention and control groups, respectively (p = 0.035). Conclusion: Assisted reproductive technology treatment that is preceded by endometrial injury may increase the clinical pregnancy rate in women undergoing long agonist protocol ICSI cycles with single embryo transfer. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.