Enhancing endometrial receptivity in FET cycles: exploring the influence of endometrial and subendometrial blood flow along with endometrial volume

• Published in: Frontiers in medicine Vol. 11; p. 1260960
• Main Authors: Hazari, Vajihe, Sarvi, Fatemeh, Alyasin, Ashraf, Agha-Hosseini, Marzieh, Hosseinimousa, Sedigheh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 08.04.2024
• Subjects: Doppler ultrasound; endometrial blood flow; endometrial receptivity; FET cycles; IVF; Medicine; FET cycles; IVF; endometrial blood flow; endometrial receptivity; Doppler ultrasound
• ISSN: 2296-858X; 2296-858X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1260960

Fetal health and a receptive and healthy endometrium are two essential factors in achieving successful implantation. If the endometrium is unreceptive, postponing the transfer cycle to a suitable time can enhance the chances of pregnancy. This study aims to assess the impact of endometrial and sub-endometrial blood flows measured by Doppler ultrasound, as well as endometrial volume, on endometrial receptivity in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. 112 patients with a mean age of 33.93 ± 4.93 years underwent fertilization (IVF). Serum β-hCG level was used to confirm pregnancy, and among the participants, 50 (44.6%) achieved pregnancy after IVF. The study results revealed a significant difference in endometrial blood flow between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups, with a higher pregnancy rate observed in participants exhibiting multi-focal and spare endometrial blood flows (  < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a notable association between endometrial blood flow and pregnancy outcome, as indicated by higher ongoing pregnancy rates in those with multi-focal and spare endometrial blood flows (  < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in endometrial variables such as volume, length, width, thickness, and pattern between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups. Additionally, contextual parameters showed no significant relationship with pregnancy outcome (  > 0.05). The study also found that endometrial measurement indices did not have a significant impact on pregnancy outcomes, with no significant differences observed between the groups (  > 0.05). In conclusion, endometrial blood flow is crucial for a successful pregnancy after IVF, while the predictive value of the endometrial volume is limited for pregnancy outcomes.