Postponing Childbearing and Fertility Preservation in Young Professional Women.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate young women's awareness of ovarian reserve testing and oocyte cryopreservation (OC) and assess how testing ovarian reserve may affect the desire for fertility preservation. METHODS: Three questionnaire-based observational studies were conducted among female students/young professionals 20 years of age and older. The third survey was completed after participants were offered anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) testing. The main outcomes measured included awareness that OC is available, interest in pursuing fertility preservation, and whether interest would change based on knowledge of declining fertility. RESULTS: The first tier of the study included a survey of a total of 337 women. The majority of female subjects were aware of OC (92.1%). Approximately 38.5% of the women responded that they would consider OC for future fertility purposes. This percentage increased to 60.3% if one was aware her fertility was declining. The second tier of the study included 42 resident/fellow physicians who were offered AMH testing. A survey was completed before and after testing was completed. Approximately 12% of participants stated that their AMH level altered their anticipated age of childbearing, whereas 24% would consider cryopreservation based on their results. The most common concern regarding OC was the cost. CONCLUSIONS: Women should be counseled regarding reproductive aging and options for fertility preservation. Offering ovarian reserve testing and making OC more affordable may increase the number of women who undergo elective OC.

Effects of embryo transfer catheters on the endometrial surface noted at hysteroscopy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects on the endometrial surface of embryo transfer catheters using hysteroscopy with ultrasound guidance. DESIGN: Prospective descriptive study (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING: University-based clinical practice. PATIENTS: Twenty patients with a documented difficult trial transfer (TT). INTERVENTION: All patients underwent an intraoperative TT using an Edwards-Wallace catheter (n = 10), a Soft-Pass catheter with obturator (n = 2), or an Echosight Patton catheter with a coaxial wire (n = 8), with placement assured using ultrasound. This was followed by hysteroscopy and cervical surgical correction. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A 5-mm hysteroscope was used to visualize, assess, and document TT catheter placement and effects on the endometrial cavity. The Wallace catheter caused the least trauma (20%). The Soft-Pass catheter with obturator (100%) resulted in linear grooves in the endometrial surface. The most traumatic effects occurred with use of the coaxial catheter (38%), which caused shaving with petechial bleeding past the point of obstruction. In addition, 3 of the Wallace catheters were improperly placed (cannulation of tubal ostia, n = 2) and coiled back (n =1). CONCLUSION: Despite ultrasound guidance, endometrial disruption and catheter displacement occurs with difficult embryo transfer catheter placement, which may suggest an explanation for lower pregnancy rates in these difficult cases. Greater attention to correction of cervical disease before an in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycle may improve clinical outcomes.

Hysteroscopic enucleation of type II submucosal uterine leiomyomas using a TRUCLEAR hysteroscopic morcellator: case report and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: We describe a case of complete enucleation of a Type II leiomyoma using the TRUCLEAR™ (Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, Andover, MA) hysteroscopic morcellator (THM) and demonstrate appropriate preoperative assessment and intraoperative surgical principles during this case. Complete hysteroscopic enucleation of Type II leiomyomas is also systematically reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case report and review, performed in a tertiary-care university setting, the THM was used for hysteroscopic resection of two submucosal leiomyomas. RESULTS: A 41-year-old gravida 1 para 0010 presented with infertility and symptomatic leiomyomas. Preoperative assessment included a hysterosalpingogram, magnetic resonance imaging, and sonohysterography demonstrating several extrinsic impressions on the uterine cavity and two submucosal leiomyomas (Type I and Type II). Diagnostic hysteroscopy confirmed findings. As the THM blade started resecting the Type II leiomyoma, it began to separate from the underlying myometrium. Attempts to release the edge of the leiomyoma, including reverse rotation of the blade, completely enucleated the leiomyoma, which was subsequently removed from the cavity with the THM. Minimal bleeding was encountered; intraoperative ultrasound confirmed normal overlying myometrium. Postoperatively, sonohysterography showed complete closure of the dead space with only a slightly distorted endometrial cavity. CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic uterine leiomyoma enucleation should only be performed in experienced hands. Inadvertent enucleation of a Type II leiomyoma with a THM device is described, with review of key surgical principles that guided safe resection.