Hysteroscopy Findings in Women with Thin Endometrium Scheduled for In Vitro fertilization in Niger Delta Region, Nigeria.

The effect of endometrial thickness on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome is still a subject of debate. It is unclear why a thin endometrium reduces IVF success rates. Our objective was to analyze the hysteroscopic findings in women scheduled for IVF who had an endometrial thickness less than 7 mm. Relevant data of patients scheduled for IVF cycles and found to have an endometrial thickness (ET) of <7 mm on transvaginal ultrasound scan (TVS) between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2017, at a private fertility and minimal access surgery unit in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria, were retrieved and documented. A total of 41 patients had ET <7 mm during the study period. These patients accounted for 2.8% of the 1487 IVF cycles performed during the same period. All 41 patients had office hysteroscopies performed, constituting 4.1% of the 1,002 hysteroscopies performed during the study period. The age range of the patients was 23 - 50 years with a mean of 39.9 ± 6.9 years, and the duration of infertility ranged from 3 to 13 years with a mean of 7.2 ± 2.5 years. Most of the patients (32, 78.1%) had secondary infertility. Sixteen patients (39.0%) had intrauterine adhesions. A thin endometrium, though infrequent during IVF treatment cycles, might be associated with undiagnosed intrauterine adhesions.