Christine Wyns, Julie Vandermonde, Céline Pirard, Dominique Demylle, Bernard Vanabelle, Jacques Donnez
JBRA Assist. Reprod. 2004; 8 (5):16-24
Received October 27, 2004
Accepted December 10, 2004
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the outcome of IVF and ICSI in idiopathic infertility. Design: Prospective randomized study.
Setting: University Hospital.
Patients: From 1999 to 2001, 60 patients were randomly allocated to Group I (IVF-ICSI split insemination) or Group II (conventional insemination).
Results: Unexplained infertility is defined as failing to establish a pregnancy despite no cause of infertility being identified. IVF has been proposed as
one of the therapeutic approaches to improve fertility. Stimulation parameters were not significantly different in the two groups. The fertilization failure rate after normal insemination was respectively 13.3% and 16.6% in Groups I and II. The pregnancy rate per transfer was respectively 50% and 36.7% in Groups I and II. After two attempts, the cumulative pregnancy rate was 60% and 50% respectively in Groups I and II.
Conclusion: No statistical difference was observed between the two groups in this small series, suggesting that the systematic use of ICSI (or ICSI/IVF split) during the first attempt does not benefit couples with unexplained infertility.
