| Table 6. ET difficulty and efficiency parameters over time for the flexible catheter | ||||
| Quartiles | ||||
| First (n=85) | Second (n=85) | Third (n=85) | Fourth (n=85) | |
| Transferred embryos | 2.6 ± 0.9 | 2.8 ± 1.1 | 2.7 ± 1.1 | 2.7 ± 1.2 |
| Blood after ET | 4/85 (4.7%) | 3/85 (3.5%) | 3/85 (3.5%) | 3/85 (3.5%) |
| Use of a tenaculum | 8/85 (9.4%) a | 7/85 (8.2%) ab | 4/85 (4.7%) ab | 1/85 (1.2%) b |
| Use of a hysterometer | 2/85 (2.4%) | 1/85 (1.2%) | 0/85 (0%) | 1/85 (1.2%) |
| US guidance required | 4/85 (4.7%) | 5/85 (5.9%) | 4/85 (4.7%) | 3/85 (3.5%) |
| Embryos retained in catheter | 1/85 (1.2%) a | 2/85 (2.4%) a | 10/85 (11.8%) b | 10/85 (11.8%) b |
| Implantation rate | 32/219 (14.6%) | 40/236 (16.9%) | 38/227 (16.7%) | 39/229 (17.0%) |
| Clinical pregnancy rate | 22/85 (25.9%) | 20/85 (23.5%) | 23/85 (27.1%) | 25/85 (29.4%) |
| Miscarriage | 3/22 (13.6%) | 3/20 (15.0%) | 3/23 (13.0%) | 2/25 (8.0%) |
| Ectopic pregnancy | 1/22 (4.5%) | 1/20 (5.0%) | 1/23 (4.3%) | 2/25 (8.0%) |
| Take home baby rate | 19/85 (22.4%) | 16/85 (18.8%) | 19/85 (22.4%) | 21/85 (24.7%) |
| a,b Values with different letters inside the line differed significantly (P<0.05). | ||||