Results of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in women with infertility due to genital tuberculosis

Objective: To determine the results of IVF-ET in women with infertility due to genital tuberculosis. Design: Retrospective case-control study. Setting: In vitro fertilization and ET unit of a university hospital. Patients: Forty-four cycles of IVF-ET were undertaken in 24 women with genital tuberculosis and the results were compared with 366 cycles in 274 nontuberculous tubal factor couples. Interventions: All women with genital tuberculosis were evaluated with hysteroscopy, endometrial biopsy, and acid fast bacilli stain before treatment with IVF-ET. Results: Subjects with genital tuberculosis had higher basal FSH levels, required more exogenous gonadotropins for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, reached lower peak E(2) levels, and yielded fewer oocytes and embryos when compared with tubal factor patients. Furthermore, in women with genital tuberculosis, clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was lower and spontaneous abortion rate was higher. Conclusions: Women with genital tuberculosis appear to represent a less favorable subset within other tubal factor patients when treated with IVF-ET.