Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody levels and thyroid dysfunction after hysterosalpingography: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) performed with an iodine contrast media can cause thyroid dysfunction, including thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism. We investigated the association between the serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb), an indicator of Graves' disease, and abnormal thyroid function after performing HSG. METHODS: The screening of TRAb was conducted in 362 patients who first visited the Tawara IVF Clinic between April and September 2018. The association between TRAb levels and the effects of HSG examinations on thyroid function were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 362 patients, 2 (0.55%) had high levels (>2.0 IU/L) of TRAb, whereas 18 (5.0%) had intermediate TRAb levels, ranging from 0.3 to 1.9 IU/L. Of the 98 women (including 7 of the 18 women with TRAb level 0.3-1.9 IU/L, and 91 of the 342 women with TRAb level <0.3 IU/L) who had undergone HSG, two women developed overt thyrotoxicosis after HSG, and the frequency was significantly higher (p = .0044) in the group with intermediate levels of TRAb (28.6%, 2 of 7) than that in the group with low TRAb levels (<0.3 IU/L; 0.0%, 0 of 91). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that increased serum levels of TRAb are significantly associated with the development of thyrotoxicosis after HSG.

Impact of subchorionic hematoma in early pregnancy on obstetric complications: A retrospective cohort study in women who had live births after frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

PURPOSE: We investigated the contribution of subchorionic hematoma (SCH) involvement in early pregnancy to the risk of pregnancy complications in women who underwent frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). METHODS: A hypoechogenic area surrounding the gestational sac at early pregnancy on ultrasound was defined as SCH. Simultaneously, the presence of vaginal bleeding was evaluated. We included 1416 women with live births after FET between March 2015 and September 2018 in this study. The frequency of pregnancy complications was compared between the SCH (n = 340) and non-SCH (n = 1076) groups. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratio of abnormal placental adhesion and placenta previa for the SCH group relative to the non-SCH group was 7.01 [2.96-18.00] and 3.77 [1.24-11.91], respectively. In contrast, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, non-reassuring fetal status, fetal growth restriction, chorioamnionitis, and premature rupture of the membrane showed no differences between both groups. Furthermore, the frequency of abnormal placental adhesion was higher in the SCH group with vaginal bleeding than in the SCH group without vaginal bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Subchorionic hematoma in early pregnancy may cause abnormal placental adhesion and placenta previa in pregnant women with FET. SCH presence should be carefully noted, particularly in cases with vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy after FET.

Beneficial effect of l-arginine in women using assisted reproductive technologies: a small-scale randomized controlled trial.

This small-scale randomized controlled study aimed to examine the effect of l-arginine supplementation on the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-positive rate and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment for 3 months. From November 2017 to March 2018, 120 patients aged less than 40 years and planning for egg retrieval for embryo transfer were enrolled. The patients were divided into the AS2000 group (n = 36; l-arginine, 2 g; folate, 400 µg; and vitamin E, 10 mg), AS1000 group (n = 37; l-arginine, 1 g; and folate, 200 µg), and control group (n = 36). The main outcome was the hCG-positive rate or CPR in 3 months. The cumulative hCG-positive rates during the administration period were 44.2%, 54.2%, and 52.1%, and the CPRs were 39.5%, 41.7%, and 47.9% in the control, AS1000, and AS2000 groups, respectively. Odds ratios of the hCG-positive rate and CPR in the global l-arginine group (AS1000 and AS2000) versus those in the control group were 1.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-2.90) and 1.11 (95% CI, 0.51-2.46), respectively. In the subgroup of women receiving ART because of male infertility, the hCG-positive rate and CPR were significantly increased in the l-arginine groups compared to those in the control group (13.42 [95% CI, 1.42-366.9] and 13.62 (95% CI, 1.42-367.6), respectively). Thus, arginine supplementation may be an option for women who desire pregnancy, especially those undergoing an ART program because of male infertility.

Effect of moderately increased thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and presence of thyroid antibodies on pregnancy among infertile women.

PURPOSE: To study the effects of mildly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and thyroid antibodies on pregnancy rates among infertile women and their potential contribution to prolonged infertility treatment. METHODS: This case-control study included 1479 women who underwent infertility treatment between March 2015 and August 2017. Cumulative pregnancy and miscarriage rates after assisted reproductive technology (ART) or non-ART treatments were compared between women with TSH <2.5 mIU/L and those with TSH 2.5-3.5 mIU/L and between women with and without thyroid antibody positivity. RESULTS: The cumulative pregnancy rate of women with TSH 2.5-3.5 mIU/L was similar to that of women with TSH <2.5 mIU/L in the non-ART (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-1.23) and ART (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.93-1.47) groups. Thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) had no correlation with cumulative pregnancy rates. In the non-ART and ART groups, HRs for TgAb were 0.87 (95% CI, 0.55-1.32) and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.84-1.39) and HRs for TPOAb were 0.88 (95% CI, 0.52-1.39) and 1.29 (95% CI, 0.97-1.68), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative pregnancy rates and miscarriage rates were similar between women with TSH <2.5 mIU/L and those with TSH 2.5-3.5 mIU/L and were independent of thyroid antibody positivity.