Clinical trial NCT04721522: The Impact of Endometrial Compaction on Assisted Reproductive Technology Outcome
Official title: The Impact of Endometrial Compaction on Assisted Reproductive Technology Outcome
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Embryo Implantation
ART
Keywords: Endometrial Compaction
endometrial receptivity
ART
Lead sponsor: Zagazig University
Sponsor class: OTHER_GOV
First posted: 2021-01-22
Enrollment: 356
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 37
Standard ages: ADULT
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: It will be carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zagazig University and in a private center.

Brief summary: Absence of endometrial compaction on the day of ET has adverse effects on success of ART outcome.

Detailed description: Implantation is a complex process which requires coordination and interaction between a blastocyst and the endometrium. Impaired embryo quality or impaired endometrial receptivity may negatively affect this interaction that in turn results in implantation failure (Diedrich et al., 2007). . Successful implantation entails a process of strict synchronization of endometrial and blastocyst development. (Maged et al., 2018).

Despite advancements made since the introduction of assisted reproductive technology (ART), fewer than 40% of ART treatment cycles result in a live birth. Endometrial receptivity remains a crucial rate-limiting step affecting the success of ART treatment. Embryos are thought to be responsible for one-third of implantation failures, whereas the remaining two-thirds result from sub-optimal endometrial receptivity or abnormal embryo-endometrium dialogue.(Craciunas et al., 2019).

There are 3 main methods used to assess endometrial receptivity: endometrial biopsy, hormone profile, and ultrasound imaging.(Lawrenz and Fatemi, 2017). Ultrasound has been established as an appreciated, simple, and non-invasive technique in evaluation of endometrial preparation before embryo transfer in IVF cycles. Several sonographic parameters have been assessed that include endometrial thickness (Ent), endometrial pattern (EnP) and sub-endometrial blood flow.(Kader et al., 2016).

Endometrial thickness (EMT) is the most used prognostic factor for endometrial receptivity during ART (Kasius et al., 2014). Both clinical pregnancy and live birth rates decreased significantly for each millimeter below 8 mm in fresh IVF-ET cycles and below 7 mm frozen ET cycles (Liu et al 2018). Regarding endometrial patterns (Yuan et al., 2016) and vascularization (Ng et al., 2007) data are still contradictory. Increased frequency of contractility prior to embryo transfer was inversely related to clinical pregnancy in fresh and frozen embryo transfer cycles. (Zhu et al., 2014).

Currently, there is an emphasis on a new endometrial parameter called endometrial compaction, which is the decrease in endometrial thickness on the day of ET. In a Study of 274 frozen embryo transfer cycles, patients whose endometrium compacted had a significantly higher ongoing pregnancy rate than patients whose endometrium became thicker or did not change.(Haas et al., 2019).

On the other hand, a large-scale cohort study revealed that an increased endometrium thickness after progesterone administration in FET was associated with better pregnancy outcome.(Bu et al., 2019). The role of endometrial compaction in fresh ART cycles is not yet studied. So, it's better to test its effect on fresh cycles ART outcome.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All women should have the following:

Aged from 18 - 37 years old. Undergoing fresh ICSI cycles. A normal uterus with no anomalies or pathologies. At least one good-quality embryo/blastocyst available for transfer (3 BB and more according to Gardner and Schoolcraft grading system).

Easy mockup embryo transfer (i.e. the catheter is smoothly inserted without touching the fundus, no cervix tenaculum is used and the catheter is clean of blood).

Exclusion Criteria:

- Younger than 18 or older than 37 years old. Congenital uterine abnormality or pathology. Presence of a hydrosalpinx. Chronic diseases which are not suitable for pregnancy. ICSI cycles with fresh or frozen TESE samples.

Primary outcomes:
measure: whether the occurrence of endometrial compaction on the day of embryo transfer has a role in optimizing ongoing pregnancy rate in ART cycles
timeFrame: 2 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Zagazig
country: Egypt
facility: Zagazig university
Study officials:
affiliation: zagazig university hospital
name: rana nabil, Msc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Diedrich K, Fauser BC, Devroey P, Griesinger G; Evian Annual Reproduction (EVAR) Workshop Group. The role of the endometrium and embryo in human implantation. Hum Reprod Update. 2007 Jul-Aug;13(4):365-77. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmm011. Epub 2007 Jun 4.
citation: Maged AM, Rashwan H, AbdelAziz S, Ramadan W, Mostafa WAI, Metwally AA, Katta M. Randomized controlled trial of the effect of endometrial injury on implantation and clinical pregnancy rates during the first ICSI cycle. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2018 Feb;140(2):211-216. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.12355. Epub 2017 Nov 18.
citation: Craciunas L, Gallos I, Chu J, Bourne T, Quenby S, Brosens JJ, Coomarasamy A. Conventional and modern markers of endometrial receptivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2019 Mar 1;25(2):202-223. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmy044.
citation: Lawrenz B, Fatemi HM. Effect of progesterone elevation in follicular phase of IVF-cycles on the endometrial receptivity. Reprod Biomed Online. 2017 Apr;34(4):422-428. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2017.01.011. Epub 2017 Jan 24.
citation: Kader MA, Abdelmeged A, Mahran A, Samra MFA, Bahaa H (2016) The usefulness of endometrial thickness, morphology, and vasculature by 2D Doppler ultrasound in prediction of pregnancy in IVF/ICSI cycles. Egypt J Radiol Ncl Med 47(1):341-346.
citation: Kasius A, Smit JG, Torrance HL, Eijkemans MJ, Mol BW, Opmeer BC, Broekmans FJ. Endometrial thickness and pregnancy rates after IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2014 Jul-Aug;20(4):530-41. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmu011. Epub 2014 Mar 23.
citation: Liu KE, Hartman M, Hartman A, Luo ZC, Mahutte N. The impact of a thin endometrial lining on fresh and frozen-thaw IVF outcomes: an analysis of over 40 000 embryo transfers. Hum Reprod. 2018 Oct 1;33(10):1883-1888. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dey281.
citation: Yuan X, Saravelos SH, Wang Q, Xu Y, Li TC, Zhou C. Endometrial thickness as a predictor of pregnancy outcomes in 10787 fresh IVF-ICSI cycles. Reprod Biomed Online. 2016 Aug;33(2):197-205. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2016.05.002. Epub 2016 May 13.
citation: Ng EH, Chan CC, Tang OS, Yeung WS, Ho PC. Endometrial and subendometrial vascularity is higher in pregnant patients with livebirth following ART than in those who suffer a miscarriage. Hum Reprod. 2007 Apr;22(4):1134-41. doi: 10.1093/humrep/del458. Epub 2006 Dec 5.
citation: Zhu L, Che HS, Xiao L, Li YP. Uterine peristalsis before embryo transfer affects the chance of clinical pregnancy in fresh and frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles. Hum Reprod. 2014 Jun;29(6):1238-43. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu058. Epub 2014 Mar 23.
citation: Haas J, Smith R, Zilberberg E, Nayot D, Meriano J, Barzilay E, Casper RF. Endometrial compaction (decreased thickness) in response to progesterone results in optimal pregnancy outcome in frozen-thawed embryo transfers. Fertil Steril. 2019 Sep;112(3):503-509.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.05.001. Epub 2019 Jun 24.
citation: Bu Z, Yang X, Song L, Kang B, Sun Y. The impact of endometrial thickness change after progesterone administration on pregnancy outcome in patients transferred with single frozen-thawed blastocyst. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2019 Nov 25;17(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s12958-019-0545-0.