Hysteroscopy In Women Research Articles

Application of disposable digital hysteroscope for outpatient hysteroscopy in women undergoing artificial assisted reproductive procedures: a clinical research

BackgroundHysteroscopy is the preferred method for the diagnosis and treatment of uterine diseases. With the increasing demand for outpatient hysteroscopy, disposable digital hysteroscopy has emerged, which can meet the requirements of diagnosis and treatment integration, and greatly reduce the labour and storage costs.MethodsA total of 108 outpatients who underwent hysteroscopy using disposable digital hysteroscope were divided into two groups: the non-porous group (group A, n=49) and the married with child group (group B, n=59). The patients’ general information and clinical data were recorded and statistical analysis was performed.ResultsNo differences were found between the age, weight, body mass index, menopausal status and indication for hysteroscopy of the two groups. The most common indication was embryo transfer failure. The surgical success rate of 108 patients was 100%, the concordance rate between hysteroscopic diagnosis of chronic endometritis and pathological diagnosis was 94.44% (68/72), while the false positive rate stood at 38.89% (14/36). Additionally, incidental findings rate for endometrial polyps was 92.00% (23/25) with a low false positive rate of only 6% (5/83). The mean visual analogue scale score of group A was 2.285±0.180, which was not significantly different from group B (p=0.483, 95% CI(−0.60-0.44)). The pregnancy rate among patients who received assisted reproductive technology and were followed up for 1 year after surgery was 66.67% (40/60), while the abortion rate stood at 5.00% (3/60).ConclusionsThe disposable digital hysteroscope is a valuable and effective tool for outpatient hysteroscopy.

Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Misoprostol Prior to Hysteroscopy in Women with Difficult Cervix: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/Objectives: Hysteroscopy has been used as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for intrauterine pathologies under direct visualization. However, this procedure may be associated with an increased risk of complications during entry, which can be reduced by cervical ripening before the operation. The efficacy of misoprostol in this context is influenced by factors such as estrogen levels, parity, and the mode of previous deliveries. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of misoprostol in women with a challenging cervix while mitigating the influence of confounding variables. Methods: Three electronic databases, namely PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science, were searched until 14 May 2024. Randomized controlled trials focusing on postmenopausal patients, nulliparous women, and multiparous women with no prior history of vaginal delivery, undergoing hysteroscopy were included. The cervical width, time needed for cervical dilation, and the need for additional dilatation alongside the complications and adverse effects from all included studies were collected and analyzed using R (version 4.2.3). Results: Seven studies on premenopausal women and three on postmenopausal women were included. In premenopausal women, misoprostol significantly increased cervical width compared to placebo (SMD = 2.2, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.4) and reduced the need for additional cervical dilatation (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.74). No significant difference was found in the time required for cervical dilation between misoprostol and placebo groups. In postmenopausal women, misoprostol did not significantly affect cervical width compared to placebo (SMD = -0.55, 95% CI -1.3 to 0.21). Conclusions: Misoprostol is beneficial for cervical dilation in premenopausal women without a prior history of vaginal delivery but less effective in postmenopausal patients. While associated with postoperative risks, it reduces hysteroscopy-related complications. Future research should address discrepancies by controlling the confounding variables like menopausal status, parity, and mode of delivery to enhance the understanding of misoprostol's effects and pinpoint the specific patient populations that would derive the greatest benefits from its use.

A New Nomogram to Predict Spontaneous Pregnancy after Laparoscopy Combining Hysteroscopy in Women with Minimal to Mild Endometriosis-Associated Infertility

A New Nomogram to Predict Spontaneous Pregnancy after Laparoscopy Combining Hysteroscopy in Women with Minimal to Mild Endometriosis-Associated Infertility

Outpatient hysteroscopy impact on subsequent assisted reproductive technology: a systematic review and meta-analysis in patients with normal transvaginal sonography or hysterosalpingography images

BackgroundStandard management for intrauterine lesions typically involves initial imaging followed by operative hysteroscopy for suspicious findings. However, the efficacy of routine outpatient hysteroscopy in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) remains uncertain due to a lack of decisive high-quality evidence. This study aimed to determine whether outpatient hysteroscopy is beneficial for infertile women who have unremarkable imaging results prior to undergoing ART.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines, incorporating data up to May 31, 2023, from databases such as PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The primary outcome assessed was the live birth rate, with secondary outcomes including chemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy rates, and miscarriage rates. Statistical analysis involved calculating risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals and assessing heterogeneity with the I2 statistic.ResultsThe analysis included ten randomized control trials. Receiving outpatient hysteroscopy before undergoing ART was associated with increased live birth (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.03–1.45, I2 61%) and clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.27 95% CI 1.10–1.47, I2 53%). Miscarriage rates did not differ significantly (RR 1.25, CI 0.90–1.76, I2 50%). Subgroup analyses did not show a significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates when comparing normal versus abnormal hysteroscopic findings (RR 1.01, CI 0.78–1.32, I2 38%). We analyzed data using both intention-to-treat and per-protocol approaches, and our findings were consistent across both analytical methods.ConclusionsOffice hysteroscopy may enhance live birth and clinical pregnancy rates in infertile women undergoing ART, even when previous imaging studies show no apparent intrauterine lesions. Treating lesions not detected by imaging may improve ART outcomes. The most commonly missed lesions are endometrial polyps, submucosal fibroids and endometritis, which are all known to affect ART success rates. The findings suggested that hysteroscopy, given its diagnostic accuracy and patient tolerability, should be considered in the management of infertility.Database registrationThe study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systemic Review database (CRD42023476403).

Comparing endometrial biopsy results with hysteroscopic pathology in women presenting with abnormal and postmenopausal uterine bleeding

ObjectiveTo compare pathology results after office-based blind endometrial biopsy and pathology results from hysteroscopy in women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). MethodsA retrospective cohort study of biologic women presenting with AUB at a tertiary care referral care center. Patients were included if they underwent evaluation with blind endometrial biopsy performed in the office followed by hysteroscopy within one year. Hysteroscopic findings and pathology were correlated with index endometrial biopsy findings. Results689 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age and BMI were 49 (±10) years and 31 (±8) kg/m2. The median duration of bleeding leading up to presentation was of 3.5 (1.5–9) months. Of the patients who had operative hysteroscopic pathology demonstrating endometrial polyp, 30.6 % (81) had a polyp detected on office endometrial biopsy. Of the patients who had hysteroscopic pathology demonstrating intracavitary fibroids, 0 % (0) were detected on endometrial biopsy. Of the patients who had hyperplasia without atypia on hysteroscopy, 28.6 % (4) were detected or suspected on endometrial biopsy. Of the patients who had hyperplasia with atypia on hysteroscopy, 5.9 % (1) were detected or suspected on endometrial biopsy. There were 12 cases of confirmed or suspected malignancy on hysteroscopy, of which 8.3 % (1) were detected on endometrial biopsy. ConclusionConcordance between focal findings on office hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy is low. Endometrial biopsy when malignancy is suspected has been shown to be of benefit, but in the setting of suspected benign focal pathology, blind assessment of the endometrial cavity for definitive diagnosis should be abandoned. In women with symptomatic uterine bleeding, hysteroscopic visualization is associated with increased sensitivity in identifying intrauterine pathology.

Endometrial scratching during hysteroscopy in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Endometrial scratching (ES) during hysteroscopy before embryotransfer (ET) remains doubtable on whether it benefits the reproductive outcomes. The optimal technique is not clear and repeated implantation failure as a challenging field in in vitro fertilization (IVF) seems to be the springboard for clinicians to test its effectiveness. Medline, PMC, ScienceDirect, Scopus, CENTRAL, Google Scholar were searched from their inception up to April 2023 for studies to evaluate the effectiveness of adding endometrial scratching during hysteroscopy before ET. The initial search yielded 959 references, while 12 eligible studies were included in the analyses, involving 2,213 patients. We found that hysteroscopy and concurrent ES before ET resulted in a statistically significant improvement in clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) [RR = 1.50, (95% CI 1.30-1.74), p < 0.0001] and live birth rate (LBR) [RR = 1.67, (95% CI 1.30-2.15), p < 0.0001] with no statistically significant difference on miscarriage rate [RR = 0.80 (95% CI 0.52-1.22), p = 0.30]. Our meta-analysis suggests that hysteroscopy with concurrent ES may be offered in IVF before ET as a potentially improving manipulation. Future randomized trials comparing different patient groups would also provide more precise data on that issue, to clarify specific criteria in the selection of patients. PROSPERO (CRD42023414117).

Prevalence of hysteroscopic alterations in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of uterine malformations and endometrial disorders diagnosed through office hysteroscopy in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). MethodsRetrospective analysis of medical records of 114 patients referred to a tertiary academic hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between January 2014 and August 2022, due to a history of two or more miscarriages (RPL group) and 1144 women preparing for in vitro fertilization due to couple infertility (control group). All the participants underwent a diagnostic office hysteroscopy in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. The prevalence of hysteroscopic alterations was compared between the RPL and control groups and between women with two versus three or more miscarriages, using the chi-square test. ResultsIn comparison with the control group, the RPL group had a higher prevalence of uterine malformations (15.8% vs. 4.6%, p<0.001), endometrial adhesions (12.3% vs. 3.3%, p<0.001) and endometritis (10.5% vs. 3.7%), and a lower prevalence of endometrial polyps (6.1% vs. 14.9%, p=0.01). Congenital malformations were present in 18/114 patients (15.9%), of which 11 cases (9.7%) were a septate/bicornuate uterus. There was no difference between the prevalence of hysteroscopic alterations in patients with two versus three or more miscarriages (35.3% versus 42.8%, χ2=0.395, p=0.529). ConclusionThe frequency of uterine malformations and endometrial disorders can be high in patients with RPL, including those with only two previous miscarriages. This finding supports the investigation of uterine disorders in women with a history of RPL.

Ambulatory Hysteroscopy in Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A Tertiary Care Hospital Perspective

Background: To avoid delays in outpatient facilities for managing benign gynecological conditions like abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), there is a need to evaluate the usage of unconventional methods like outpatient hysteroscopy. Objectives: To evaluate the usage of outpatient diagnostic hysteroscopy in women with abnormal uterine bleeding. Methods: An observational study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Kharian. The study included 56 women having AUB with or without a history of failed medical treatment. The study participants underwent outpatient diagnostic hysteroscopy. Diagnostic hysteroscopy was done under the local para-cervical block in the Outpatient department. Procedure indications, outcome and biopsy findings were recorded on predesigned proformas. Results: Median age of the study participants was 44 years. The most common indications for diagnostic hysteroscopy were postmenopausal bleeding (34%) and heavy menstrual bleeding (28%). Hysteroscopy outcomes included endometrial biopsy (34%), discharge with no biopsy (25%), further test and evaluations required (21%), and admission due to failed outpatient procedures (20%). Sixty-two percent of the study participants had normal biopsy findings while other biopsy findings included polyps (20%), fibroids (14%) and endometrial hyperplasia (4%). Nine percent had unsuccessful hysteroscopy due to patient refusal to proceed. Conclusion: Outpatient hysteroscopy can be helpful in the early and rapid diagnosis of women with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Evaluation of Anatomical Characteristics of Cesarean Scar Niche by Sonohysterography and Diagnostic Hysteroscopy in Women with Secondary Infertility

Evaluation of Anatomical Characteristics of Cesarean Scar Niche by Sonohysterography and Diagnostic Hysteroscopy in Women with Secondary Infertility

Imaging and diagnostic accuracy of outpatient and inpatient hysteroscopy

Aim. To compare the results of visualisation and diagnostic accuracy during outpatient and inpatient hysteroscopy in women with endometrial disease.Materials and Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with uterine diseases who underwent outpatient hysteroscopy at Kemerovo City Clinical Hospital №4 (n = 300) or inpatient hysteroscopy within the hospitals (n = 300) in Kemerovo from 2018 to 2020. Confirmation of endometrial disease was carried out by manual vacuum aspiration.Results. Indications, imaging, and diagnostic accuracy did not differ for most endometrial diseases in outpatient and inpatient hysteroscopy, yet inpatient hysteroscopy was the option of choice in women with infertility (p = 0.035). Diagnostic accuracy of outpatient and inpatient hysteroscopy was highly concordant, albeit outpatient hysteroscopy more often revealed adenomyosis and uterine malformation and less often identified endometrial polyps.Conclusion. Outpatient and inpatient hysteroscopy are equally efficient, although outpatient hysteroscopy has its benefits in detecting adenomyosis and uterine malformation and be less informative in diagnosing endometrial polyps.

Does hysteroscopy in women with persistent gestational trophoblastic disease reduce the need for chemotherapy? A prospective, single-arm, clinical trial pilot study

BackgroundThis study aimed to describe the efficacy of hysteroscopy in the management of women with the persistent gestational trophoblastic disease (PGTD)/GTN to reduce the need for chemotherapy.Materials and methodsThis prospective, single-arm, clinical trial study was recruited in an educational referral hospital between September 2018 and September 2019. Totally, 30 participants with a history of hydatidiform mole that was managed by uterine evacuation and developed low risk persistent gestational trophoblastic disease were recruited. Hysteroscopy was performed for removal of persisted trophoblastic tissue. Serum beta-hCG titer was measured before and 7 days after the procedure.ResultsThe mean ± SD age of the participants was 31.4 ± 4.6 years. There was a significant difference (p = 0.06) between that mean ± SD of beta-hCG titer before (8168.4 ± 1758) and after (2648.8 ± 5888) hysteroscopy. Only two (6.6%) cases underwent chemotherapy due to no drop in the beta-hCG titer.ConclusionHysteroscopy may play a significant role in the management of GTN, although it requires validation in larger prospective randomized studies and longer follow-up.

Diagnostic yield and therapeutic outcome of hysteroscopy in women with infertility in a referral clinical setting: a Port Harcourt, Nigeria experience.

Introductionintrauterine pathologies were traditionally evaluated by blind dilatation and curettage along with hysterosalpingography. Hysteroscopy is a veritable tool for evaluation of uterine cavity pathologies with an increasing availability in Nigeria. The study aims to report the diagnostic yield and therapeutic outcome of hysteroscopy in women with infertility from a Nigerian metropolis.Methodsa retrospective cross-sectional study of consecutive cases of infertile women referred for hysteroscopy to an ambulatory care endoscopy facility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The variables collated included age, parity, past gynaecological history, indication, hysteroscopy findings and interventions. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.Resultsincluded in study were 75 patients undergoing a total of 124 hysteroscopic procedures. The age range of patients was 25 to 56 years (mean 40.7 ± 5.9 years). A positive diagnostic yield of 93.3% with non-visualization of intracavitary uterine pathology in 5 patients was recorded. The most common pathologies were submucous myoma-25(31.3%), endometrial polyps- 18(22.5%) and intrauterine adhesions-18(22.5%). There was no statistical difference between the mean age of patients with or without polyp, myoma and intrauterine adhesions (P = 0.185, P = 0.510 and P = 0.619 respectively) but a non-linear relationship between age and polyp detection (Eta2 = 0.024). Operative hysteroscopies were all performed on out- patient basis but staged in 30(40.0%) patients.Conclusionbenign uterine growths and intrauterine adhesions are frequent causes of uterine factor infertility. A high successful completion rate of hysteroscopic interventions was achieved.

Comparative study between hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasound in evaluation of unexplained infertility

Background Three types of uterine factors have been implicated in infertility: leiomyomas, endometrial polyps, and intrauterine adhesions. Mechanisms of infertility have not clearly been elucidated; however, the end result is decreased endometrial receptivity and reduced likelihood of embryo implantation. Transvaginal sonography is a sensitive method for the evaluation of the uterine masses and abnormalities. Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography in detection of intrauterine abnormalities compared with hysteroscopy in women with history of unexplained infertility. Patients and methods The study was conducted in infertility clinic of Al-Azhar Assiut University Hospital. A total of 30 cases were included in the study during the period between August 2018 and March 2019. The chief complaint of patients was unexplained infertility. All candidates underwent transvaginal ultrasound, and the uterus was examined in longitudinal and transverse planes (two-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound) and the three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound), and hysteroscopic examination was done for all cases using general anesthesia. Results In our current study, using transvaginal ultrasound, we diagnosed 28 cases with abnormalities (nine intrauterine adhesions, seven fibroids, six polyps, four irregular endometrium, one case of endometritis, and one case of septum). By hysteroscopy, 27 cases were confirmed to have abnormalities (11 intrauterine adhesions, five fibroids, seven polyps, two endometritis, and two cases of septum). Conclusion Routine use of transvaginal sonography (two dimensional and three dimensional) in diagnosing uterine cavity abnormalities is satisfactory and consequently is becoming a basic tool in investigating infertile patients. Hysteroscopy which is the gold standard in investigating the uterine cavity should be used to confirm the findings of transvaginal sonography and also when transvaginal sonography gives doubtful results.

The Value of Hysteroscopy in Women with Persistently Elevated Post-Evacuation Serum Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) Level Following Evacuation of Molar Disease

Abstract Background and rational Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a spectrum of trophoblastic diseases that encompass the hydatidiform mole (both complete and partial), as well as the potentially-malignant and malignant forms: invasive mole, choriocarcinoma and placental site trophoblastic tumor. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) refers to persistent elevation of serum levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The subsequentmanagement of GTD after evacuation of the uterus relies on serial surveillance of serum hCG levels. When serum hCG levels plateau or rise, chemotherapy should promptly be initiated. Patients and Methods This study for accuracy of a diagnostic test. The current study was conducted at Gynecologic Oncology Unit and Early Cancer Detection Unit at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital during the period between January 2016 and June 2018. Results In the present study, the case who had a vascular mass, the patient was 44 years old and she was para 4, so board decision was for TAH. Postoperative serum hCG surveillance for this case showed adequately declining levels. She, accordingly, did not receive chemotherapy. For the 19/44 (43.2%) cases who had a hysteroscopic finding of ‘an empty cavity’ were diagnosed as persistent GTN and received chemotherapy according to the protocol. The remaining 25/44 (56.8%) cases, who had a hysteroscopic finding of ‘remnants’, underwent re-evacuation. Postoperative serum hCG surveillance showed persistently elevated levels in 9/44 (20.5%) cases, who, therefore, received chemotherapy according to the protocol; and adequately declining levels in 16/44 (36.4%) cases, who, accordingly, did not receive chemotherapy. Conclusion The hysteroscopy significantly reduced the risk of chemotherapy in women with hydatidiform mole and have persistent post-evacuation elevated serum hCG level and sonographic criteria of invasive disease.

Role of pre IVF hysteroscopy in women with unexplained infertility for detecting unsuspected intrauterine lesions and effect on pregnancy outcome

Objective: The relevance of routine hysteroscopy before IVF is debatable and there is no consensus on the effectiveness of routine pre IVF hysteroscopy in improving pregnancy outcome. The purpose of this study is to assess the role of pre IVF hysteroscopy in women with unexplained infertility in detecting unsuspected intrauterine lesions and its effect on pregnancy outcome. Materials and Methods: This was retrospective observational study conducted at Medicover Fertility Center, New Delhi, India. In the study group (n = 60), women with unexplained infertility of more than three years with normal transvaginal ultrasonography were included, where hysteroscopy was done in post-menstrual period, 1–2 months before starting IVF treatment. In the control group (n = 60), pre IVF hysteroscopy was not done. Results: The study and control group did not differ for age, body mass index, duration and type of infertility. There was a high prevalence (31.6%) of unsuspected intrauterine abnormalities in women with unexplained infertility with normal transvaginal ultrasound findings. The clinical pregnancy rate was 48.3% (29/60) in study group and 36.7% (22/60) in control group. The clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) was observationally higher in women with pre IVF hysteroscopy, but the difference was not statistically significant (P value = 0.193). Conclusion: There was high prevalence rate of unsuspected intrauterine lesions in women with unexplained infertility. Clinical pregnancy rates were not significantly higher in patients who underwent pre IVF hysteroscopy. Further larger studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to verify the positive outcome of use of hysteroscopy prior to IVF.

Does Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy Have a Place in the Diagnosis of Unexplained Infertility?

The standard fertility workup includes assessment of ovulation, semen analysis, and evaluation of tubal patency. If the fertility workup is found to be normal, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility is made. The role of laparoscopy in fertility workup has been a matter of debate. The current review presents the evidence for and against laparoscopy and hysteroscopy during fertility workup and subsequently prior to fertility treatment. After appraising the literature, we found the role of diagnostic laparoscopy in fertility workup is limited and is dependent on factors like prevalence of pelvic infection, setting, and availability of expertise. Moreover, whenever a laparoscopy is planned as a part of the fertility workup, the preparation should include ability to carry out simultaneous therapeutic intervention to maximize the benefit. Similarly, the routine use of hysteroscopy in women with unexplained infertility cannot be recommended. There is a need to investigate the impact of choice of tubal test on chances of spontaneous conception and treatment outcomes in women with unexplained infertility. Our future research agenda should also include high-quality multicenter randomized trials assessing the cost-effectiveness of screening and operative hysteroscopy prior to intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization.

Prevalence and intensity of pain during diagnostic hysteroscopy in women attending an infertility clinic: analysis of 489 cases.

ABSTRACTObjective To investigate the prevalence and intensity of pain perception during diagnostic hysteroscopy in women and potential related factors.Methods A total of 489 women were investigated at an infertility clinic. Fluid diagnostic hysteroscopy was performed without analgesia or anesthesia by gynecologists with different levels of experience in operative hysteroscopy, using a 2.9mm rigid scope. The Visual Analog Scale was used to score pain intensity after vaginal speculum insertion and after hysteroscopy. Data collected included age, ethnicity, body mass index, history of infertility and endometrial surgery (curettage and/or hysteroscopy), smoking habits, and hysteroscopy diagnosis. Only the state of anxiety was assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory given to each patient before the procedure.Results Hysteroscopy median (25th to 75th) Visual Analog Scale scored 3.3 (3 to 5), and 41.7% of the women referred Visual Analog Scale score ≥4. Median (25th to 75th) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score was 42 (38 to 45), and 58.3% of the women referred State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score >40. Hysteroscopy Visual Analog Scale score was significantly correlated to surgeon experience and to vaginal speculum insertion but not to State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score, ethnicity or abnormal hysteroscopic findings.Conclusion Diagnostic hysteroscopy was mostly perceived as a mild discomfort procedure by most women. Nevertheless, in a considerable number of cases, women perceived hysteroscopy as painful. Pain perception was linked to individual pain threshold and surgeon experience, but not to pre-procedural anxiety state levels, ethnicity or abnormal hysteroscopic findings.

Screening hysteroscopy in subfertile women and women undergoing assisted reproduction.

Screening hysteroscopy in infertile women with unexplained infertility, or prior to intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may reveal intrauterine pathology that may not be detected by routine transvaginal ultrasound. Hysteroscopy, whether purely diagnostic or operative may improve reproductive outcomes. To assess the effectiveness and safety of screening hysteroscopy in subfertile women undergoing evaluation for infertility, and subfertile women undergoing IUI or IVF. We searched the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL CRSO, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (September 2018). We searched reference lists of relevant articles and handsearched relevant conference proceedings. Randomised controlled trials comparing screening hysteroscopy versus no intervention in subfertile women wishing to conceive spontaneously, or before undergoing IUI or IVF. We independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. The primary outcomes were live birth rate and complications following hysteroscopy. We analysed data using risk ratio (RR) and a fixed-effect model. We assessed the quality of the evidence by using GRADE criteria. We retrieved 11 studies. We included one trial that evaluated screening hysteroscopy versus no hysteroscopy, in women with unexplained subfertility, who were trying to conceive spontaneously. We are uncertain whether ongoing pregnancy rate improves following a screening hysteroscopy in women with at least two years of unexplained subfertility (RR 4.30, 95% CI 2.29 to 8.07; 1 RCT; participants = 200; very low-quality evidence). For a typical clinic with a 10% ongoing pregnancy rate without hysteroscopy, performing a screening hysteroscopy would be expected to result in ongoing pregnancy rates between 23% and 81%. The included study reported no adverse events in either treatment arm. We are uncertain whether clinical pregnancy rate is improved (RR 3.80, 95% CI 2.31 to 6.24; 1 RCT; participants = 200; very low-quality evidence), or miscarriage rate increases (RR 2.80, 95% CI 1.05 to 7.48; 1 RCT; participants = 200; very low-quality evidence), following screening hysteroscopy in women with at least two years of unexplained subfertility.We included ten trials that included 1836 women who had a screening hysteroscopy and 1914 women who had no hysteroscopy prior to IVF. Main limitations in the quality of evidence were inadequate reporting of study methods and higher statistical heterogeneity. Eight of the ten trials had unclear risk of bias for allocation concealment.Performing a screening hysteroscopy before IVF may increase live birth rate (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.43; 6 RCTs; participants = 2745; I² = 69 %; low-quality evidence). For a typical clinic with a 22% live birth rate, performing a screening hysteroscopy would be expected to result in live birth rates between 25% and 32%. However, sensitivity analysis done by pooling results from trials at low risk of bias showed no increase in live birth rate following a screening hysteroscopy (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.18; 2 RCTs; participants = 1452; I² = 0%).Only four trials reported complications following hysteroscopy; of these, three trials recorded no events in either group. We are uncertain whether a screening hysteroscopy is associated with higher adverse events (Peto odds ratio 7.47, 95% CI 0.15 to 376.42; 4 RCTs; participants = 1872; I² = not applicable; very low-quality evidence).Performing a screening hysteroscopy before IVF may increase clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.45; 10 RCTs; participants = 3750; I² = 49%; low-quality evidence). For a typical clinic with a 28% clinical pregnancy rate, performing a screening hysteroscopy would be expected to result in clinical pregnancy rates between 33% and 40%.There may be little or no difference in miscarriage rate following screening hysteroscopy (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.50; 3 RCTs; participants = 1669; I² = 0%; low-quality evidence).We found no trials that compared a screening hysteroscopy versus no hysteroscopy before IUI. At present, there is no high-quality evidence to support the routine use of hysteroscopy as a screening tool in the general population of subfertile women with a normal ultrasound or hysterosalpingogram in the basic fertility work-up for improving reproductive success rates.In women undergoing IVF, low-quality evidence, including all of the studies reporting these outcomes, suggests that performing a screening hysteroscopy before IVF may increase live birth and clinical pregnancy rates. However, pooled results from the only two trials with a low risk of bias did not show a benefit of screening hysteroscopy before IVF.Since the studies showing an effect are those with unclear allocation concealment, we are uncertain whether a routine screening hysteroscopy increases live birth and clinical pregnancy, be it for all women, or those with two or more failed IVF attempts. There is insufficient data to draw conclusions about the safety of screening hysteroscopy.

The comparison of transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in women with abnormal uterine bleeding: A single center experience

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in the detection of intracavitary abnormalities that presented with abnormal uterine bleeding. Material and Methods: 216 women with uterine bleeding involve in this study. In this retrospective study, the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy were compared to their corresponding pathology results in both prepostmenopausal (n:145) and postmenopausal (n:71) women. To compare these three methods more reliably, we used Kappa analyses. Results: In postmenopausal group with endometrial polyp and myomas; sensitivity of transvaginal ultrasonography is 68.2% to 40% dilatation & curettage, specificity is 33.3% to 97% and Kappa value is 0.016 to 0.407. Sensitivity of hysteroscopy is 97.7% to 40% dilatation & curettage, specificity is 74.1% to 100% and Kappa values is 0.75 to 0.553. Specificity of transvaginal ultrasonography is 98.3% to hysteroscopy, specificity of transvaginal ultrasonography is 98.1% to dilatation & curettage, sensitivity of hysteroscopy is 47.1% and specificity is 90.7% to dilatation & curettage and Kappa value is 0.411 with normal patients in the same group. Conclusion: In postmenopausal patients transvaginal ultrasonography has a high chance of detecting when there is an endometrial pathology. Transvaginal ultrasonography is not sensitive enough to use solely in order to exclude polyps and fibroids in abnormal uterin bleeding. Therefore, hysteroscopy can be applied even if transvaginal ultrasonography is normal in these patients.

Uterine alterations in women undergoing routine hysteroscopy before in vitro fertilization: high prevalence of unsuspected lesions

Objective:The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of uterine cavity abnormalities diagnosed by routine office hysteroscopy in women preparing to IVF.Methods:We carried out a retrospective cross-sectional study of 1141 consecutive women who underwent outpatient hysteroscopy before IVF at a tertiary academic center. Of these, 961 participants had a normal transvaginal sonography (TVS) of the uterine cavity. The prevalence of hysteroscopic alterations in successive age strata was submitted to Mantel-Haenzsel Chi-square test for linear trend. The diagnostic accuracy of TVS using hysteroscopy as reference was assessed by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios.Results:Hysteroscopic alterations were present in 265/961 of patients with a negative TVS (prevalence 27.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 24.8%-30.5%). The prevalence of unsuspected submucous leiomyoma was higher among older women (p=0.005, chi-square test for linear trend) and reached 7.2% (95% CI 3.5%-14.1%) after 40 years. The sensitivity of TVS ranged from 8% (95% CI 2%-20%) for uterine synechiae to 41% (95% CI 28%-56%) for submucous leiomyoma, resulting in low likelihood ratios for negative TVS results.Conclusions:These findings suggest a high prevalence of unsuspected alterations found by routine hysteroscopy before IVF, an age-dependent increase in the frequency of submucous leiomyoma and a low diagnostic sensitivity of TVS to detect intracavitary lesions.