Ultrasound-guided Hydrosalpinx Aspiration During Egg Collection

· What we know: Hydrosalpinx and IVF About 40% of patients undergoing IVF have tubal disease and in 25%-30% of tubal disease patients there is fluid collection within the tube; hydrosalpinx. The amount of fluid in the hydrosalpinx is known to increase with ovarian stimulation (as in IVF) and often empties into the uterine cavity. Fluid from hydrosalpinges has been found to be detrimental to the growth and development of mouse embryos in vitro, and associated with reduced levels of endometrial integrins in vivo. This could be the explanation of the reduced pregnancy rates after IVF in patients with tubal disease and hydrosalpinx compared with those with tubal disease but no hydrosalpinx. This effect was evidence in both fresh and frozen embryo transfer cycles. Also there was a significant increase in miscarriage in association with hydrosalpinx. The study aims to answer the question: does ultrasound-guided aspiration of ultrasound diagnosed hydrosalpinx at the time of egg collection improve the pregnancy rate in IVF?