Promoting implantation by local injury to the endometrium.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between endometrial injury, implantation and pregnancy rate.

DESIGN

We performed a literature search using the keywords endometrial injury, local endometrial injury, endometrial biopsy, endometrial receptivity, implantation, in vitro fertilization, and implantation failure and conducted the search in Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of systematic reviews.

SETTING

None.

PATIENT(S): None.

INTERVENTION(S): None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): None.

RESULT(S): Clinical and basic science data regarding the association between endometrial injury and improved implantation rate are limited. However, current evidence suggests that endometrial injury before IVF among women with previous repeated IVF failure is associated with increased rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth.

CONCLUSION(S): Endometrial injury may have a beneficial role in implantation and improve the pregnancy rate. However, there are still many unanswered question including patients selection, timing, technique and number of endometrial biopsies needed.