Ultrasound Guided Embryo Transfer
For most of the time that in Vitro Fertilization has been practiced, the transfer of embryos to the uterus has not been given the same amount of attention than other aspects of the procedure have. Lately, however, it has become apparent that indeed this is probably one of the most important areas to be considered and may explain a lot of the variability in success between different transfer techniques. It is clear that it is advantageous to place the embryos into the uterus in as a traumatic a manner as possible. It is intuitively obvious that the embryos should be placed in an area within the uterus most likely to afford implantation. However, the vast majority of practitioners transfer embryos by a blind procedure similar to intrauterine insemination. Some have suggested that ultrasound guidance of the embryo transfer procedure may be of benefit because the tip of the embryo transfer catheter can be visualized to insure that the embryos are placed in the proper location. Evidence suggests that blind embryo transfer may result in placement of the embryos out of the uterine cavity in as much as 25-30% of cases.
IVF Success Rates
A high IVF success rate has been reported with a technique of transabdominal ultrasound guidance accompanied by a full bladder. We have found that a transvaginal approach is much easier, does not require a full bladder and facilitates very precise localization of the placement of embryos within the uterus. Since Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine began using this technique in June 2000, we have had a pregnancy rate of 80% using both fresh and frozen embryos! Additionally, we have found the embryo implantation rate to be 30%. The significantly higher rates began immediately at the time that transvaginal ultrasound guided transfer was instituted. There were no other variables at that time that explains this change. Therefore it appears that this technique is an important way to verify that the embryos are being placed in the correct location and that this location is indeed essential for establishing implantation.
Dr. Anderson's Practicing Physician Award
Our results with this procedure were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society in 2001 and won the Practicing Physician Award. The paper describing this technique was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in the April 2002 edition.
Ultrasound Guided Embryo Transfers with Dr. Anderson and Dr. Dourron
All embryo transfers are performed at our Newport Beach office in our embryology lab in Suite 433. Your physician will be accompanied by a nurse and/or embryologist during the procedure. The patient is required to remain on the examination table for one hour before leaving the office.
Further instructions will be given to the patient by the nursing staff or physician regarding physical limitations for the week following the embryo transfer. Please do not hesitate to call the office if you should have any concerns.
