Outcome of one hundred consecutive ICSI attempts using patient operated home sonography for monitoring follicular growth.

OBJECTIVE

cohort study describing clinical and laboratory outcomes in ICSI patients using self-operated endovaginal tele-monitoring (SOET).

SETTING

University department of reproductive medicine.

PATIENTS

78 patients undergoing 100 consecutive ICSI attempts.

INTERVENTIONS

patients' recorded vaginal sonograms and sent recordings using the cloud based Sonaura device to the care provider who procured responses, avoiding hospital visits.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Number of cycles without hospital visit, laboratory and clinical variables, transportation avoided.

RESULTS

In 100 attempts, only one patient missed her follicles, 9 hospital visits occurred for circumstantial reasons and 90 attempts were completed without any hospital visit between initiation and puncture. Mean number ± 2SD was for oocytes 11.7±6.6, metaphase-II oocytes 8.5±5.4, 2PN zygotes 5.5±3.7, good day-5 blastocysts 2.4±2.4, embryos transferred 1.0±0.7 and embryos frozen 1.3±2.2. Percentages of total (+HCG), clinical (cardiac activity) and on-going pregnancies (>20 weeks) were 40%, 35% and 29% per started cycle and 48.8%, 42.7% and 35.4% per embryo transfer.

CONCLUSIONS

Using SOET, 90% of ICSI (and IVF) patients can avoid visits to care providers for making sonograms. Results were similar as in patients with a similar profile using traditional monitoring. In appropriate patients, SOET is an efficient, safe and patient-friendly alternative for ovarian stimulation monitoring in IVF/ICSI programmes.