Heterotopic pregnancy: simultaneous intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy following IVF treatment with the birth of a healthy child

Although spontaneous simultaneous intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy was an extremely rare event in the past, it is increasingly being diagnosed since the rate of assisted reproduction technique (ART) gestations increased. Due to the serious consequences, delayed diagnosis should be prevented in order to salvage the viable intrauterine fetus and avoid maternal morbidity and mortality. This case report demonstrates that the pitfalls of the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy make early diagnosis difficult and the prevention of heterotopic pregnancies by single embryo transfer should be continuously discussed. The role of high resolution ultrasound scans and the importance of close monitoring of early pregnancies following ART are emphasized because early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy results in a similar perinatal outcome as singleton pregnancies.     

Ovarian pregnancy rupture following ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination: A case report

BACKGROUNDOvarian pregnancy after assisted reproductive technology treatment has rarely been reported; ovarian pregnancy following intrauterine insemination (IUI) is even rarer, and only nine cases have previously been reported. CASE SUMMARYWe report a case of ovarian pregnancy rupture after ovulation induction and IUI. The patient presented with bilateral lower abdominal pain and was referred to the emergency department. Ultrasound examination revealed ovarian pregnancy and intraperitoneal bleeding. Laparoscopy revealed an ovarian pregnancy with hemoperitoneum, which was subsequently removed. Pelvic adhesions were detected intraoperatively, which were treated immediately. The patient spontaneously conceived an intrauterine pregnancy 3 mo later, which was ongoing at the time of writing this study. CONCLUSIONClose attention should be paid to any history of pelvic inflammatory disease before commencing IUI treatment,and patients with such a history should be closely followed up after IUI. Early measurement of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels and ultrasonic examination are essential for timely diagnosis of ovarian pregnancy after ovulation induction and IUI to avoid more serious complications.     

男性相关因素对夫精宫腔内人工授精妊娠率的影响

目的:探讨在宫腔内人工授精(IUI)过程中男性相关因素对妊娠成功率的影响,为临床IUI治疗不育提供参考。方法:选取排除女方因素和双方因素所导致的219周期不育IUI的资料,统计分析其中男性相关因素(如年龄、学历、不育年限以及精子形态正常率、精液处理前后前向运动精子数等)与妊娠率的关系。结果:共行IUI治疗219周期,妊娠23例,周期妊娠率为10.5%。随着男方年龄增长,拥有正常精子形态的人群比例呈下降趋势,差异有统计学意义。40岁以上年龄组妊娠成功率低于其他组(P<0.05),高学历组妊娠成功率也较其他组低,但比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。男方不育年限各分组中妊娠率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。精子形态率正常组的妊娠率稍高于异常组,IUI妊娠率随着精液处理前后的前向运动精子数的增加均有上升的趋势,但比较差异无统计学意义。结论:男方年龄对正常精子形态的影响有统计学意义,但是男方学历、不育年限、处理前后的前向精子总数以及精子形态学等对IUI成功率无明显影响。     

Predictors of pregnancy after intrauterine insemination in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of body mass index (BMI) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with intrauterine insemination (IUI).MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated couples with PCOS undergoing COS and IUI. The relationship between cumulative IUI pregnancy outcomes and BMI, treatment cycles, treatment schemes, number of dominant follicles, endometrial thickness, infertility duration and type of infertility was analysed.ResultsThe study evaluated 831 IUI cycles in 451 couples with PCOS. Compared with normoweight women, overweight and obese women required more human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) doses and more days of COS. Gestational diabetes mellitus occurred more frequently in the obese group than in the other BMI groups. The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in the hMG, clomiphene citrate (CC) + hMG and letrozole (LE) + hMG groups were significantly higher than those in the CC and LE groups. The clinical pregnancy rate was higher in the secondary infertility group compared with the primary infertility group.ConclusionObese women might require more hMG doses and more days of COS to overcome the effects of weight. As BMI increases, the incidence of gestational diabetes might also increase. The number of cycles and type of infertility may have a predictive value for pregnancy outcomes.     

精液参数对宫腔内人工授精妊娠率的影响

目的探讨处理后前向运动精子总数（PTMS）及精子正常形态对宫腔内人工授精（IUI）妊娠率的影响。方法收集接受了共417周期IUI治疗的216对不孕夫妇。按处理前精子形态,将其分为形态正常组（正常形态精子百分比：〉15%,n=45）、轻度畸形组（正常形态精子百分比：〉10%-15%,n=103）、中度畸形组（正常形态精子百分比：〉5%-10%,n=186）和重度畸形组（正常形态精子百分比：≤5%,n=83）。根据PTMS将其分为5组,第Ⅰ组：PTMS〈2×106,第Ⅱ组：2×106≤PTMS〈5×106,第Ⅲ组：5×106≤PTMS〈10×106,第Ⅳ组：10×106≤PTMS〈20×106,第Ⅴ组：PTMS≥20×106。比较各组妊娠率。结果 216对不孕夫妇临床妊娠73例,周期临床妊娠率17.50%。第Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ组患者的临床妊娠率分别为3.3%、15.8%、24.1%、15.0%和21.4%。形态正常组、轻度畸形组、中度畸形组和重度畸形组患者的临床妊娠率分别为20.0%、20.4%、19.4%和8.4%。结论当PTMS〈5×106或正常形态精子百分比低于5%时,IUI妊娠率显著下降。     

Methods of semen preparation for intrauterine insemination and subsequent pregnancy rates.

Semen for insemination, either intrauterine or in vitro, must be prepared to remove seminal plasma products and/or select the healthier population of sperm prior to use. Traditionally, a double wash technique is performed, with or without subsequent swim-up to isolate the motile fraction if necessary. More recently, the use of the SperPrep filtration method has gained acceptance, with the benefits of removal of leukocytes and seminal debris from the specimen as well as enhancement of overall sperm quality. In the current study we compared the traditional double wash method without the swim-up to Sperm-Prep filtration. Intrauterine inseminations (IUI's) were performed in 307 cycles on 148 infertile couples at two different infertility centers in the USA. After complete diagnostic evaluation the couples were offered IUI before proceeding to any other form of assisted reproductive technologies. Semen samples were prepared in human tubal fluid media supplemented with 5% human serum albumin (HSA; location 1) or in Ham's F-10 media supplemented with 3% HSA (location 2), either with the SpermPrep filtration method (ZBL, Inc., Lexington, KY 40523, USA) or the double sperm wash (SW) procedure. Similar sperm numbers were used for the IUI procedure in both treatment groups and locations. The Sperm-Prep method resulted in significantly higher pregnancy rates (PR) than the SW procedure, independent of location. The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle were statistically lower (p < 0.05) in the SW group (20-22% vs. 9-10%). Of significant clinical importance, almost twice as many cycles were required in the SW group to achieve these pregnancies when compared to the SpermPrep group of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

精子DNA完整性、诱发顶体反应与夫精宫腔内人工授精妊娠率的关系

目的探讨精子DNA完整性和诱发顶体反应与夫精宫腔内人工授精(AIH-IUI)临床妊娠率的关系。方法对相同促排方案的151个IUI周期的患者进行精子DNA碎片化指数(DFI)和钙离子载体激发顶体反应(ARIC)检测,分析精子DNA完整性和诱发顶体反应与AIH-IUI临床妊娠率的关系。结果妊娠组DFI%为(20.6±9.5)%,非妊娠组为(31.5±13.6)%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);将患者分为DFI%≤30%和DFI%30%两组,其临床妊娠率分别为14.0%和6.7%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。妊娠组ARIC%为(14.1±4.6)%,非妊娠组为(8.2±2.7)%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);将患者分为ARIC%≥10%和ARIC%10%两组,其临床妊娠率分别为18.6%和7.4%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论精子DFI%和ARIC%与AIH-IUI临床妊娠率有关。     

Evaluation of endometrial urocortin secretion for prediction of pregnancy after intrauterine insemination

BACKGROUND: Urocortin is a neuropeptide produced by the human endometrium and has biological effects putatively important for promoting blastocyst implantation. We measured urocortin concentrations in samples of endometrial wash fluid collected from women with unexplained infertility who underwent intrauterine insemination (IUI). METHODS: Patients 28-42 years of age (n = 71) were consecutively enrolled after a complete clinical evaluation. Endometrial wash fluid was retrieved before IUI, at the time of ultrasound evaluation of endometrial thickness. Urocortin concentrations were assayed with a specific ELISA. RESULTS: After IUI, 28 patients (39%) became pregnant. Urocortin concentrations were significantly higher in women who became pregnant than in those who did not (0.38 microg/L vs 0.13 microg/L, P <0.0001). At a cutoff of 0.321 microg/L, urocortin results were positive in 61% [95% confidence interval (CI), 41%-78%] of women who had successful implantation and negative in 98% (95% CI, 88%-99.6%) of those who did not. The pregnancy rate for women with urocortin concentrations >0.32 microg/L was 94%, which differed significantly (P <0.05) from the overall pregnancy rate of 39% in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: Urocortin is measurable in endometrial wash fluid, and its concentrations before IUI are higher in women who subsequently achieve pregnancy. These data suggest that the probability of having a successful pregnancy-producing IUI may be better estimated by measuring urocortin in endometrial wash fluid.     

Heterotopic pregnancy: case report

Heterotopic pregnancy in a spontaneous cycle is a rare entity with an estimated frequency below one per 30,000 pregnancies. Its incidence evidently has increased in accordance with the widespread use of in vitro fertilization and ovulation induction. We report a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 40-year-old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain. We also present findings from transvaginal ultrasound imaging. Received: 22 April 2001/Accepted: 28 June 2001     

Emergency management of the nonviable intrauterine pregnancy

Fetal death early in gestation is common. Patients in the first trimester of pregnancy with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding often present to the emergency department for care. Over the past 20 years, the technology available to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of a nonviable pregnancy has improved dramatically. These improvements have altered the diagnostic approach to these patients and have lead to a change in the terminology used to categorize the pregnancy status. In addition, the therapeutic options available to manage patients with a confirmed nonviable pregnancy have expanded greatly. In this article, we re-evaluate the classification scheme used to categorize patients with first trimester pain or bleeding given the improved technology that is available to the emergency physician today. We discuss the role of ultrasound and biochemical markers in confirming or excluding the diagnosis of a nonviable pregnancy. Finally, we review the therapeutic options, including expectant, surgical as well as medical management that are available once the diagnosis of a nonviable intrauterine pregnancy has been confirmed.     

Triplet heterotopic pregnancy after gonadotropin stimulation and intrauterine insemination diagnosed at laparoscopy: a case report

Heterotopic pregnancy has been traditionally considered a rare event; however, with the use of assisted reproductive technology, the incidence of heterotopic pregnancies is increasing. Diagnosing a heterotopic pregnancy can be challenging. This report describes a 30-year-old female at 11 weeks' gestation with an intrauterine twin pregnancy after gonadotropin stimulation and intrauterine insemination who presented complaining of left lower quadrant abdominal pain with constipation and cramps. The patient was empirically treated for diverticulitis but failed to respond to therapy. A heterotopic triplet pregnancy was ultimately diagnosed at laparoscopy. Heterotopic pregnancy must be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in the first trimester, especially in patients who conceived by means of assisted reproductive technology. Surgical treatment is the most frequently used method of treatment.     

Ultrasonographic appearance of cervical pregnancy following successful treatment with methotrexate.

We report a case of cervical ectopic pregnancy successfully treated with systemic methotrexate. Conservative management with single-dose methotrexate was undertaken, but owing to the failure of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels to fall by 15% by day 7 and the persistence of fetal cardiac activity, two further doses of methotrexate were required. The patient's hCG levels were monitored, and repeat transvaginal ultrasonography was performed until complete resolution of the pregnancy by spontaneous miscarriage. We describe the ultrasonographic findings, which showed that the sac size increased despite treatment.     

正常形态精子百分率对宫腔内人工授精妊娠率的影响

目的探讨正常形态精子百分率与处理后前向运动精子总数达标率的关系及其对宫腔内人工授精临床妊娠率的影响。方法行夫精宫腔内人工授精的426对不孕夫妇（563个周期）,依据正常形态精子百分率分为3组,正常形态精子百分率〈4％为A组,≥4％～15％为B组,〉15％为C组,比较各组精液处理后前向运动精子总数达标率及对宫腔内人工授精临床妊娠率。结果A组精液处理后前向运动精子总数达标率低于B、C组（P〈0．05）,B组低于c组（P〈0．05）;A组周期妊娠率（7．77％）明显低于B、C组（16．21％、18．05％）（P〈0．05）。结论正常形态精子百分率对精液处理后前向运动精子总数达标率有明显影响,二者共同影响宫腔内人工授精结局;正常形态精子百分率≥4％可获较高临床妊娠率。     

促排卵周期宫腔内人工授精后妊娠失败的影响因素分析

目的探讨促排卵周期宫腔内人工授精(IUI)后妊娠失败的影响因素。方法选择完成促排卵周期IUI的200例患者及其配偶为研究对象。观察患者临床妊娠结局;自制调查问卷,记录患者相关资料;分析促排卵周期IUI后妊娠失败的影响因素。结果 151例患者促排卵周期IUI后妊娠失败,妊娠失败率为75.50%。肥胖、子宫内膜异位症(EMs)、焦虑/抑郁均是促排卵周期IUI后妊娠失败的影响因素(OR 0,P 0.05)。结论促排卵周期IUI后患者妊娠失败风险高,可能与肥胖、EMs、焦虑/抑郁等因素有关,临床应及时评估风险因素,并针对性实施干预,提高IUI后妊娠率。     

Heterotopic pregnancy: report of three cases

OBJECTIVE: Heterotopic pregnancy, defined as concomitant intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy, is a rare event. Assisted reproductive technologies have led to an increase in the number of heterotopic pregnancies. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From 1997 to 1999 three cases of heterotopic pregnancies were referred to the gynecological unit of the hospital of St. P?lten. The condition was diagnosed at 7, 8 and 12 weeks of gestation, respectively. Two patients had undergone assisted reproductive technologies and former pelvic surgery for tubal pregnancy. Two patients had intrauterine singleton pregnancies and one patient had an intrauterine twin pregnancy. In all cases the ectopic site presented as a ruptured tubal pregnancy and the treatment consisted of laparoscopic salpingectomy. RESULTS: In all patients the postoperative course was uneventful and the intrauterine pregnancy progressed. In one case recurrent preterm labor led to vaginal delivery at 33 weeks of pregnancy. In the case of twin pregnancy, a planned cesarean section was performed at 37 weeks of gestation. One patient delivered at term. All newborns were healthy. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of heterotopic pregnancy and understanding the epidemiological risk factors underlying this condition are important for early diagnosis with the aim of improving therapy and clinical outcome.     

Heterotopic pregnancy: discovery of ectopic pregnancy after elective abortion

We report a case of combined intrauterine and tubal pregnancy in a 23-year-old woman. The patient came to the emergency department complaining of lower abdominal pain after having had an elective abortion 2 weeks earlier. Her physician had done pelvic ultrasonography, noting an intrauterine pregnancy before the abortion. Our working diagnosis in the emergency department was retained products of conception versus postabortion endometritis. Pelvic ultrasonography in the emergency department revealed an ectopic pregnancy without evidence of retained products of conception, and the patient had a right salpingotomy with removal of the ectopic fetus without complications.