Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the results of ART treatment in patients with and without endometriosis in a large cohort of patients from different centers over an extented period of time. METHODS: This retrospective study is using data from patients undergoing 27,294 cycles of IVF/ICSI treatment between 1995 and 2011 that were registered in the database of the Latin American Registry maintained by the Latin America Network of Assisted Reproduction. RESULTS: The mean number of retrieved oocytes was higher in the control group, but the mean number of metaphase II oocytes was similar. Fertilization rate and transfer rate were higher in the control group. We observed higher pregnancy rates, per cycle initiated and per embryo transfer and higher live birth rate in the endometriosis group. In the group of patients with 25-35 years old, the number of oocytes, fertilization rate, and number of transferred embryos were significantly higher in the control group. However, pregnancy rate and live birth rate were higher in the endometriosis group. In the group of patients with 36-40 years old, the number of transferred embryos was higher in the control group, but the pregnancy rate and live birth rate were higher in the endometriosis group. In the group of patients with 41 to 42 years old, the number of transferred embryos and the transfer rate were higher in the control group, but the pregnancy rate was higher in the endometriosis group. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that endometriosis does not affect the outcome of patients subjected to IVF/ICSI and although patients with endometriosis present lower number of oocytes and higher cancelation rate, these shortcomings do not reduce pregnancy and live birth rates.