P–326 Presence of adenomyosis at MRI in endometriosis women negatively affect live birth chances in IVF cycles
Authors: Santulli P , Bourdon M , Melka L , Bordonne C , Millisher A E , Maitrot-Mantelet L , Maignien C , Marcellin L , Chapron C 
Published: August 2021

Study question

What is the impact of adenomyosis and its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics on live birth rate (LBR) in endometriosis-affected women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment?

Summary answer

Among women undergoing IVF, the presence of adenomyosis at MRI, and especially T2 high signal-intensity spots within the myometrium have a negative impact on LBR. What is known already: Adenomyosis is a frequent gynecologic disease. With the development of imaging technics for the diagnosis (notably MRI), several adenomyosis phenotypes have been described and fertility issues seem variable according to the lesions characteristics. Moreover, on IVF outcomes, controversial results have been found in studies assessing the impact of adenomyosis. What make the impact-assessment of adenomyosis on fertility issues even more difficult is the frequent association with endometriosis, another known risk factor of infertility. Some data suggested that adenomyosis could worsen IVF prognostics, however there is no clear consensus about the impact of the adenomyosis on IVF outcomes in endometriosis affected-women.

Study design, size, duration

This was an observational study including phenotyped endometriosis patients, aged between 18 to 42 years, who underwent IVF/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment in a tertiary care center, from June 2015 through July 2018.Only women who had performed a pelvic MRI during the pre-therapeutic ART work-up, were retained for this study. The MRI data were interpreted by radiologists who had expertise in gynaecological MRI.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

A continuous series of 202 endometriosis affected women was included. The women were followed until four ART cycles had been completed, until delivery or until discontinuation of treatment before the completion of four cycles. The primary outcome was the delivery of one or more live infant(s) after up to four IVF/ICSI cycles. Patients and MRI characteristics were compared between women who gave a live birth and those without live birth.

Main results and the role of chance

The mean age of the included population was 32.5 ±3.7 years. 90.1% (182/202) had deep infiltrating endometriosis whereas only 5.4% (11/202) and 4.5% (9/202) had respectively isolated ovarian endometriosis (OMA) and superficial peritoneal endometriosis (SUP). The presence of adenomyosis (internal and/or external lesions) was found in 71.8% (145/202) of included women. The cumulative live birth rate was 57.4% (116/202). Women that gave birth (‘live birth +’) were significantly younger, (33.3±4.1 vs 32.0±3.3 p = 0.026) and had significant better ovarian reserve parameters (AMH, AFC). The presence of adenomyosis (internal and/or external lesions) (76/116 (65.5%) versus 69/86 (80.2%), p = 0.022) and the presence of T2 high-signal intensity myometrial spots (27/116 (23.3%) and 37/86 (43.0%), p = 0.003) were significantly less frequently found in the group of women ‘Live birth +’. After multivariate analysis, the presence of adenomyosis (OR: 0.48 95% CI (0.29–0.99) p = 0.048) and the presence of T2 high-signal intensity myometrial spots (OR: 0.43 95% CI (0.22–0.86) p = 0.018) were independently found to be associated with a decrease in cumulative chances of live birth.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The inclusion of patients from our referral center could constitute a possible selection bias, as those women may have suffered from particularly severe forms of adenomyosis ± endometriosis.

Wider implications of the findings: In women presenting endometriosis, the practitioner should perform an appropriate imaging work-up searching for adenomyosis, to identify prognostic factors and to plan the strategy of patient management in the setting of ART.

Trial registration number

NA