Longitudinal assessment of ovarian perifollicular and endometrial vascularity by power Doppler ultrasound in Pregnant and Non-pregnant cycles in the IVF setting

Purpose: This longitudinal study aimed to compare ovarian perifollicular and endometrial blood flow (PFBF and EBF, respectively) during the follicular phase in pregnant and nonpregnant IVF cycles. Methods: Serial transvaginal scans were performed in 15 subjects undergoing IVF treatment. Both PFBF and EBF were subjectively graded (grades 0-4 for PFBF and grades 1-3 for EBF). After confirmation of clinical pregnancy, the treatment cycles were grouped into 'Pregnant' and 'Non-pregnant' cycles. Ovarian PFBF and EBF were retrospectively compared between the two groups. Results: In pregnant cycles, the proportion of large (greater than or equal to15 mm) follicles with high (2-4) grade PFBF increased with time throughout the follicular phase, and the proportion of large follicles with poor (0-1) grade PFBF decreased. In non-pregnant cycles these trends were reversed. There was no difference in EBF between the two groups. Conclusion: The pattern of ovarian PFBF but not EBF may be predictive of treatment outcome.