Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T07:31:50.702Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Evaluation of the Infertile Female

from PART II - INFERTILITY EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2010

By
Timothy N. Hickman ,
Rafael A. Cabrera ,
Laurie J. McKenzie ,
Hany F. Moustafa  and
Botros R. M. B. Rizk
Edited by
Botros R. M. B. Rizk ,
Juan A. Garcia-Velasco ,
Hassan N. Sallam  and
Antonis Makrigiannakis
Botros R. M. B. Rizk
Affiliation:
University of South Alabama
Juan A. Garcia-Velasco
Affiliation:
Rey Juan Carlos University School of Medicine,
Hassan N. Sallam
Affiliation:
University of Alexandria School of Medicine
Antonis Makrigiannakis
Affiliation:
University of Crete
Get access

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after at least one year of unprotected intercourse. Using this definition, 7.4 percent of married women aged 15–44, or about 2.1 million women, were infertile in 2002 (1). The same survey showed that about 12 percent of women had “impaired fecundity” (that is difficulty in getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term), or 7.3 million women aged 15–44. The incidence of infertility clearly increases with age: In 2002, 11 percent of childless married women aged 15–29 had infertility, compared with 17 percent of those aged 30–34, 23 percent of those aged 35–39, and 27 percent of those aged 40–44.

Contrary to the public perception, rates of infertility and impaired fecundity have not changed significantly since 1965, but because of delayed childbearing and changes in population demographics, the number of older childless women increased substantially (2). In addition, the introduction of a variety of new fertility drugs and techniques received widespread news coverage and spurred public discussion about infertility. The greater range of treatment alternatives now available together with the increasing number of clinics and physicians specializing in infertility has resulted in a rise in the number of medical visits for infertility and in the amount of money spent to treat infertility.

Keywords

chlamydia antibody testingfemale fertilityhystero-salpingo contrast sonographyhysterosalpingographylaparoscopymagnetic resonance imagingovulation assessmenthysteroscopypostcoital testtubal infertility
Type
Chapter
Information
Infertility and Assisted Reproduction , pp. 55 - 69
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chandra, A, Martinez, GM, Mosher, WD, Abma, JC, Jones, J. Fertility, family planning, and reproductive health of U.S. women: data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Vital Health Stat 23 2005;(25):1–160.Google Scholar
Mosher, WD, Bachrach, CA. Understanding U.S. fertility: continuity and change in the National Survey of Family Growth, 1988–1995. Fam Plann Perspect 1996;28:4–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamilton, BE, Miniño, AM, Martin, JA, Kochanek, KD, Strobino, DM, Guyer, B. Annual summary of vital statistics: 2005. Pediatrics 2007;119:345–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics of the United States, 1968, vol. I natality. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Public Health Service. Rockville, MD. 1970. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/vsus_ 1968_1.pdf.
Wilcox, AJ, Weinberg, CR, O'Connor, JF, Baird, DD, Schlatterer, JP, Canfield, RE, Armstrong, EG, Nisula, BC. Incidence of early loss of pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1988;319:189–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zinaman, MJ, Clegg, ED, Brown, CC, O'Connor, J, Selevan, SG. Estimates of human fertility and pregnancy loss. Fertil Steril 1996;65:503–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edmonds, DK, Lindsay, KS, Miller, JF, Williamson, E, Wood, PJ. Early embryonic mortality in women. Fertil Steril 1982;38:447–53.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hertig, AT, Rock, J. Series of potentially abortive ova recovered from fertile women prior to the first missed menstrual period. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1949;58:968–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stein, ZA. A woman's age: childbearing and child rearing. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121:327–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hassold, T, Chiu, D. Maternal age-specific rates of numerical chromosome abnormalities with special reference to trisomy. Hum Genet 1985;70:11–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warburton, D, Kline, J, Stein, Z, Strobino, B. Cytogeneic abnormalities in spontaneous abortions of recognized conceptions. In: Porter, IH, ed. Perinatal Genetics: Diagnosis and Treatment, Academic Press, New York, 1986. 133 pp.Google Scholar
Tietze, C. Reproductive span and rate of reproduction among Hutterite women. Fertil Steril 1957;8:89–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schwartz, D, Mayaux, MJ. Female fecundity as a function of age: results of artificial insemination in 2193 nulliparous women with azoospermic husbands. Federation CECOS. N Engl J Med 1982;306:404–10.Google ScholarPubMed
Menken, J, Trussell, J, Larsen, U. Age and infertility. Science. 1986; 233:1389–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kidd, SA, Eskenazi, B, Wyrobek, AJ. Effects of male age on semen quality and fertility: a review of the literature. Fertil Steril 2001;75:237–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. 2005 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates: National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports, Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2007.
Munné, S, Alikani, M, Tomkin, G, Grifo, J, Cohen, J. Embryo morphology, developmental rates, and maternal age are correlated with chromosome abnormalities. Fertil Steril 1995;64:382–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Battaglia, , Goodwin, P, Klein, NA, Soules, MR. Influence of maternal age on meiotic spindle assembly in oocytes from naturally cycling women. Hum Reprod 1996;11:2217–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Platteau, P, Staessen, C, Michiels, A, Steirteghem, A, Liebaers, I, Devroey, P. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for aneuploidy screening in women older than 37 years. Fertil Steril 2005;84:319–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benadiva, CA, Kligman, I, Munné, S. Aneuploidy 16 in human embryos increases significantly with maternal age. Fertil Steril 1996;66:248–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pellestor, F, Andréo, B, Arnal, F, Humeau, C, Demaille, J. Maternal aging and chromosomal abnormalities: new data drawn from in vitro unfertilized human oocytes. Hum Genet 2003;112:195–203.Google ScholarPubMed
Nybo Andersen, AM, Wohlfahrt, J, Christens, P, Olsen, J, Melbye, M. Maternal age and fetal loss: population based register linkage study. BMJ 2000;320:1708–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Setter, SM, Corbett, C, Gates, BJ, Terriff, C, Johns, CA, Sclar, DA, et al. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: The need for assessment and education. Home Care Provid 2001;6:100–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brooks, P. Use and benefits of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Am J Med 1998;104:9–13S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hernandez-Diaz, S, Garcia-Rodriguez, . Epidemiologic assessment of the safety of conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Am J Med 2001;110(Suppl. 3A):20–7S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, DK, Liu, L, Odouli, R. Exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy and risk of miscarriage: population based cohort study. BMJ 2003;327:368.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LeMaire, W, Linder, R, Marsh, J. Pre and postovulatory changes of prostaglandins in rat Graffian follicles. Prostaglandins 1975;9:221–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armstrong, D, Grinwich, D. Blockade of spontaneous LH-induced ovulation in rats by indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis. Prostaglandins 1972;1:21–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duffy, DM, Stouffer, RL. Progesterone receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the primate corpus luteum during the menstrual cycle: possible regulation by progesterone. Endocrinology 1995;136:1869–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vane, JR, Bakhle, YS, Botting, RM. Cyclooxygenases 1 and 2. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 1998;38:97–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wong, WYL, Richards, JS. Evidence for two antigenically distinct molecular weight variants of prostaglandin H synthase in the rat ovary. Mol Endocrinol 1991;5:1269–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lim, H, Paria, BC, Das, SK, et al. Multiple female reproductive failures in cyclooxygenase 2-deficient mice. Cell 1997;91:197–208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dawood, MY. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and reproduction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1993;169:1255–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ahlborg, G, Hogstedt, C, Bodin, L, Bárány, S. Pregnancy outcome among working women. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989;15:227–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klebanoff, MA, Shiono, PH, Rhoads, GG. Outcomes of pregnancy in a national sample of resident physicians. N Engl J Med 1990;323:1040–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stücker, I, Caillard, JF, Collin, R, Gout, M, Poyen, D, Hemon, D. Risk of spontaneous abortion among nurses handling antineoplastic drugs. Scand J Work Environ Health 1990;16:102–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kyyronen, P, Taskinen, H, Lindbohm, M-L, Hemminki, K, Heinonen, OP. Spontaneous abortions and congenital malformations among women exposed to tetrachloroethylene in dry cleaning. J Epidemiol Comm Health 1989;43:346–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plenge-Bomig, A, Karmaus, W. Exposure to toluene in the printing industry is associated with subfecundity in women but not in men. Occup Environ Med 1999;56:443–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowland, AS, Baird, D, Shore, D, Weinburg, C, Savitz, D, Wilcox, A. Nitrous oxide and spontaneous abortion in female dental assistants. Am J Epidemiol 1995;141:531–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Augood, C, Duckitt, K, Templeton, AA. Smoking and female infertility: systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod 1998;13:1532–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
El-Nemr, A, Al-Shawaf, T, Sabatini, L, Wilson, C, Lower, AM, Grudzinskas, JG. Effect of smoking on ovarian reserve and ovarian stimulation in in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Hum Reprod 1998;13:2192–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bolumar, F, Olsen, I, Boldsen, J. Smoking reduces fecundity: a European multicenter study on infertility and subfecundity. The European Study Group on Infertility and Subfecundity. Am J Epidemiol 1996;143:578–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chia, SE, Tay, SK, Lim, ST. What constitutes a normal semen analysis? Semen parameters of 243 fertile men. Hum Reprod 1998;13:3394–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Olsen, J, Bolumar, F, Boldsen, J, Bisanti, L. Does moderate alcohol intake reduce fecundability? A European multicenter study on infertility and subfecundity. European Study Group on Infertility and Subfecundity. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 1997;21:206–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, TK, Hjollund, NH, Henriksen, TB, Scheike, T, Kolstad, H, Giwercman, A, Ernst, E, Bonde, JP, Skakkebaek, NE, Olsen, J. Does moderate alcohol consumption affect fertility? Follow up study among couples planning first pregnancy. Br Med J 1998;317:505–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Juhl, M, Andersen, A, Grønbaek, M, Olsen, J. Moderate alcohol consumption and waiting time to pregnancy. Hum Reprod 2001;12:2705–09.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, KL, Chambers, CD, Hill, LL, Hull, AD, Riley, EP. Alcohol use in pregnancy: inadequate recommendations for an increasing problem. BJOG 2006;113:967–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
US Surgeon General. Urges women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant to abstain from alcohol. (www.surgeongeneral. gov/pressreleases/sg02222005.html) Press release Feb 21, 2005.
Axmon, A, Rylander, L, Lillienberg, L, Albin, M, Hagmar, L. Fertility among female hairdressers. Scand J Work Environ Health 2006;32:51–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhu, JL, Vestergaard, M, Hjollund, NH, Olsen, J. Pregnancy outcomes among female hairdressers who participated in the Danish National Birth Cohort. Scand J Work Environ Health 2006;32:61–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kersemaekers, WM, Roelevend, N, Zielhuis, GA. Reproductive disorders due to chemical exposures among hairdressers. Scand J Work Environ Health 1995;27:699–713.Google Scholar
Grodstein, F, Goldman, MB, Cramer, DW. Body mass index and ovulatory infertility. Epidemiology 1994;5:247–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Al-Azemi, M, Omu, FE, Omu, AE. The effect of obesity on the outcome of infertility management in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2004;270:205–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Norman, RJ, Noakes, M, Wu, R, Davies, MJ, Moran, L, Wang, JX. Improving reproductive performance in overweight/obese women with effective weight management. Hum Reprod Update 2004;10:267–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koloszar, S, Daru, J, Kereszturi, A, Zavaczki, Z, Szollosi, J, Pal, A. Effect of female body weight on efficiency of donor AI. Arch Androl 2002;48:323–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lintsen, AM, Pasker-de Jong, PC, Boer, EJ, Burger, CW, Jansen, CA, Braat, DD, et al. Effects of subfertility cause, smoking and body weight on the success rate of IVF. Hum Reprod 2005;20:1867–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, JX, Davies, MJ, Norman, RJ. Obesity increases the risk of spontaneous abortion during infertility treatment. Obes Res 2002;10:551–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lashen, H, Fear, H, Sturdee, D. Obesity is associated with increased risk of first trimester and recurrent miscarriage: matched case control study. Hum Reprod 2004;19:1644–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bellver, J, Rossal, LP, Bosch, E, Zúñiga, A, Corona, JT, Meléndez, F, Gómez, E, Simón, C, Remohí, J, Pellicer, A. Obesity and the risk of spontaneous abortion after oocyte donation. Fertil Steril 2003;79:1136–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bellver, J, Melo, MB, Bosch, E, Serra, V, Remohi, J, Pellicer, A. Obesity and poor reproductive outcome: the potential role of endometrium. Fertil Steril 2007;88:446–451.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Styne-Gross, A, Elkind-Hirsch, K, Scott, RT Jr. Obesity does not impact implantation rates or pregnancy outcome in women attempting conception through oocyte donation. Fertil Steril 2005;83:1629–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, LF, Neubert, AG. Obesity and pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Surv 2005;60:253–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Falsetti, L, Pasinetti, E, Mazzani, MD, Gastaldi, A. Weight loss and menstrual cycle: clinical and endocrinological evaluation. Gynecol Endocrinol 1992;6:49–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kumar, A, Mittal, S, Buckshee, K, Farooq, A. Reproductive functions in obese women. Prog Food Nutr Sci 1993;17:89–98.Google ScholarPubMed
Clark, AM, Ledger, W, Galletly, C, Tomlinson, L, Blaney, F, Wang, X, Norman, RJ. Weight loss results in significant improvement in pregnancy and ovulation rates in anovulatory obese women. Hum Reprod 1995;10:2705–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galletly, C, Clark, A, Tomlinson, L, Blaney, F. Improved pregnancy rates for obese, infertile women following a group treatment program. An open pilot study. Gen Hosp Psychiat 1996;18:192–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hollmann, M, Runnebaum, B, Gerhard, I. Effects of weight loss on the hormonal profile in obese, infertile women. Hum Reprod 1996;11:1884–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Norman, RJ, Clark, AM. Obesity and reproductive disorders: a review. Reprod Fertil Dev 1998;10:55–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bolumar, F, Olsen, J, Rebagliato, M, Bisanti, L. Caffeine intake and delayed conception: a European multicenter study on infertility and subfecundity. Am J Epidemiol 1997;145:324–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stanton, CK, Gray, RH. Effects of caffeine consumption on delayed conception. Am J Epidemiol 1995;142:1322–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hakim, RB, Gray, RH, Zacur, H. Alcohol and caffeine consumption and decreased fertility. Fertil Steril 1998;70:632–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sachse, C, Brockmoller, J, Bauer, S, Roots, I. Functional significance of a C→A polymorphism in intron 1 of the cytochrome P450 CYP1A2 gene tested with caffeine. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1999;47:445–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Signorello, LB, Nordmark, A, Granath, F, Blotm, WJ, McLaughlin, JK, Anneren, G, Lundgren, S, Ekbom, A, Rane, A, Cnattingius, S. Caffeine metabolism and the risk of spontaneous abortion of normal karyotype fetuses. Obstet Gynecol 2001;98:1059–66.Google ScholarPubMed
Sata, F, Yamada, H, Suzuki, K, Saijo, Y, Kato, EH, Morikawa, M, Minakami, H, Caffeine, intake, Kishi, R.CYP1A2 polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss. Mol Hum Reprod 2005;11:357–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Society for Reproductive Medicine Practice Committee Opinion. Optimal evaluation of the infertile female. Fertil Steril 2006;86(Suppl. 4):S264–7.
Mosher, WD, Pratt, WF. Fecundity and infertility in the United States: incidence and trends. Fertil Steril 1991;56:192–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilcox, AJ, Weinberg, CR, Baird, DD. Timing of sexual intercourse in relation to ovulation. Effects on the probability of conception, survival of the pregnancy, and sex of the baby. N Engl J Med 1995;333:1517–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crespigny, LC, O'Herlihy, C, Robinson, HP. Ultrasonic observation of the mechanism of human ovulation. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1981;139:636–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ecochard, R, Marret, H, Rabilloud, M, Bradaï, R, Boehringer, H, Girotto, S, Barbato, M. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound indices of ovulation in spontaneous cycles. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2000;91:59–64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Killick, S, Elstein, M. Pharmacologic production of luteinized unruptured follicles by prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors. Fertil Steril 1987;47:773–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marik, J, Hulka, J. Luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome: a subtle cause of infertility. Fertil Steril 1978;29:270–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, G, Roberts, R, Hall, C, Nuki, G. Reversible ovulatory failure associated with the development of luteinized unruptured follicles in women with inflammatory arthritis taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Br J Rheumatol 1996;35:458–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Qublan, H, Amarin, Z, Nawasreh, M, Diab, F, Malkawi, S, Al-Ahmad, N, Balawneh, M. Luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome: incidence and recurrence rate in infertile women with unexplained infertility undergoing intrauterine insemination. Hum Reprod 2006;21:2110–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katz, E. The luteinized unruptured follicle and other ovulatory dysfunctions. Fertil Steril 1988;50:839–50.Google ScholarPubMed
Pall, M, Fridén, BE, Brännström, M. Induction of delayed follicular rupture in the human by the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib: a randomized double-blind study. Hum Reprod 2001;16:1323–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mendonça, LL, Khamashta, MA, Nelson-Piercy, C, Hunt, BJ, Hughes, GR. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a possible cause for reversible infertility. Rheumatology 2000;39:880–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Luciano, AA, Peluso, J, Koch, EI, Maier, D, Kuslis, S, Davison, E. Temporal relationship and reliability of the clinical, hormonal, and ultrasonographic indices of ovulation in infertile women. Obstet Gynecol 1990;75:412–16.Google ScholarPubMed
Guermandi, E, Vegetti, W, Bianchi, MM, Uglietti, A, Ragni, G, Crosignani, P. Reliability of ovulation tests in infertile women. Obstet Gynecol 2001;97:92–6.Google ScholarPubMed
Andersen, AG, Als-Nielsen, B, Hornnes, PJ, Franch Andersen, L. Time interval from human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) injection to follicular rupture. Hum Reprod 1995;10:3202–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wathen, NC, Perry, L, Lilford, RJ, Chard, T. Interpretation of single progesterone measurement in diagnosis of anovulation and defective luteal phase: observations on analysis of the normal range. Br Med J 1984;288:7–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Filicori, M, Butler, JP, Crowley, WF Jr. Neuroendocrine regulation of the corpus luteum in the human. Evidence for pulsatile progesterone secretion. J Clin Invest 1984;73:1638–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hull, MG, Savage, PE, Bromham, DR, Ismail, AA, Morris, AF. The value of a single serum progesterone measurement in the midluteal phase as a criterion of a potentially fertile cycle (“ovulation”) derived form treated and untreated conception cycles. Fertil Steril 1982;37:355–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jordan, J, Craig, K, Clifton, DK, Soules, MR. Luteal phase defect: the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic methods in common clinical use. Fertil Steril 1994;62:54–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoff, JD, Quigley, ME, Yen, SS. Hormonal dynamics at midcycle: a reevaluation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1983;57:792–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, PB, Soules, MR. The usefulness of a urinary LH kit for ovulation prediction during menstrual cycles of normal women. Obstet Gynecol 1996;87:13–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McGovern, PG, Myers, ER, Silva, S, Coutifaris, C, Carson, SA, Legro, RS, Schlaff, WD, Carr, BR, Steinkampf, MP, Giudice, LC, Leppert, PC, Diamond, MP; NICHD National Cooperative Reproductive Medicine Network. Absence of secretory endometrium after false-positive home urine luteinizing hormone testing. Fertil Steril 2004;82:1273–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noyes, RW, Hertig, AW, Rock, J. Dating the endometrial biopsy. Fertil Steril 1950;1:3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coutifaris, C, Myers, ER, Guzick, DS, Diamond, MP, Carson, SA, Legro, RS, McGovern, PG, Schlaff, WD, Carr, BR, Steinkampf, MP, Silva, S, Vogel, DL, Leppert, PC; NICHD National Cooperative Reproductive Medicine Network. Histological dating of timed endometrial biopsy tissue is not related to fertility status. Fertil Steril 2004;82:1264–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chang, MY, Chiang, CH, Hsieh, TT, Soong, YK, Hsu, KH. Use of antral follicle count to predict the outcome of assisted reproductive technologies. Fertil Steril 1998;69:505–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frattarelli, JL, Lauria-Costab, DF, Miller, BT, Bergh, PA, Scott, RT. Basal antral follicle number and mean ovarian diameter predict cycle cancellation and ovarian responsiveness in assisted reproductive technology cycles. Fertil Steril 2000;74:512–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corson, SL, Gutmann, J, Batzer, FR, Wallace, H, Klein, N, Soules, MR. Inhibin-B as a test of ovarian reserve for infertile women. Hum Reprod 1999;14:2818–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seifer, DB, Maclaughlin, DT. Mullerian inhibiting substance is an ovarian growth factor of emerging clinical significance. Fertil Steril 2007;88:539–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suarez, SS, Pacey, AA. Sperm transport in the female reproductive tract. Hum Reprod Update 2006;12:23–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oei, SG, Helmerhorst, FM, Bloemenkamp, KW, Hollants, FA, Meerpoel, , Keirse, MJ. Effectiveness of the postcoital test: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 1998;317:502–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffith, CS, Grimes, DA. The validity of the postcoital test. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1990;162:615–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paavonen, J, Lehtinen, M. Chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease. Hum Reprod Update 1996;2:519–29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Forsey, JP, Caul, EO, Paul, ID, Hull, MG. Chlamydia trachomatis, tubal disease and the incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infection following hysterosalpingography. Hum Reprod 1990;5:444–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pittaway, , Winfield, AC, Maxson, W, Daniell, J, Herbert, C, Wentz, AC. Prevention of acute pelvic inflammatory disease after hysterosalpingography: efficacy of doxycycline prophylaxis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1983;147:623–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swart, P, Mol, BW, Veen, F, Beurden, M, Redekop, WK, Bossuyt, PM. The accuracy of hysterosalpingography in the diagnosis of tubal pathology: a meta-analysis. Fertil Steril 1995;64:486–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evers, JL, Land, JA, Mol, BW. Evidence-based medicine for diagnostic questions. Semin Reprod Med. 2003;21:9–15.Google ScholarPubMed
Thumond, AS. Selective salpingography and fallopian tube recanalization. Am J Roentgenol 1991;56:33–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osada, H, Kiyoshi Fujii, T, Tsunoda, I, Tsubata, K, Satoh, K, Palter, SF. Outpatient evaluation and treatment of tubal obstruction with selective salpingography and balloon tuboplasty. Fertil Steril 2000;73:1032–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campbell, S, Bourne, TH, Tan, SL, Collins, WP. Hysterosalpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy) and its future role within the investigation of infertility in Europe. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1994;4:245–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Exacoustos, C, Zupi, E, Carusotti, C, Lanzi, G, Marconi, D and Arduini, D. Hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography compared with hysterosalpingography and laparoscopic dye pertubation to evaluate tubal patency. J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 2003;10:367–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Strandell, A, Bourne, T, Bergh, C, Granberg, S, Thorburn, J, Hamberger, L. A simplified ultrasound based infertility investigation protocol and its implications for patient management. J Assist Reprod Genet 2000;17:87–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Strandell, A, Bourne, T, Bergh, C, Granberg, S, Asztely, M, Thorburn, J. The assessment of endometrial pathology and tubal patency: a comparison between the use of ultrasonography and X-ray hysterosalpingography for the investigation of infertility patients. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1999;14:200–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Land, JA, Evers, JL, Goossens, VJ. How to use Chlamydia antibody testing in subfertility patients. Hum Reprod 1998;13:1094–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Badawy, S. Hysterosalpingography. In Rizk, B (ed) Ultrasonography in reproductive medicine and infertility. Cambridge; United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press 2008, (in press).Google Scholar
Brown, W and , Shwayder J. Sonohysterography. In Rizk, B (ed) Ultrasonography in reproductive medicine and infertility. Cambridge; United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press 2008, (in press).Google Scholar
Garcia Velasco, JA. Ultrasonography of endometriosis. In Rizk, B (ed) Ultrasonography in reproductive medicine and infertility. Cambridge; United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press 2008 (in press).Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×