Objective: To evaluate the role of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic measurement of the endometrium in predicting pregnancy in an IVF-ET program.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Center for assisted reproductive techniques.
Patient(s): 65 women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF.
Intervention(s): Ultrasonographic examination on the day of hCG administration.
Main outcome measure(s): Endometrial volume, endometrial thickness, and pregnancy rate.
Result(s): The mean (+/-SD) endometrium volume (4.16 +/- 1.97 mL), endometrium thickness (11 +/- 2 mm), and estradiol level (1686.82 +/- 1057.10 pg/mL) in 21 pregnant women on the day of hCG administration did not differ statistically differ from the respective values in 44 nonpregnant women (4.53 +/- 1.79 mL; 11 +/- 2 mm, 1883.56 +/- 1147.21 pg/mL). Receiver-operating characteristic curves showed that the area under curve (AUC) was 0.57 for endometrial volume and 0.48 for endometrial thickness. Using a cut-off value of 2.5 mL for endometrial volume to predict pregnancy, results of the Fisher exact test were statistically significant. No significant cut-off value was found for endometrial thickness.
Conclusion(s): Endometrial volume and thickness on the day of hCG administration did not predict occurrence of pregnancy. A minimum volume of 2.5 mL appeared to favor pregnancy. The predictive value of 3D ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial volume and thickness was better than that of 2D measurement.