Color Doppler ultrasounds and ART

Transvaginal color Doppler has been utilized to determine haemodynamic changes in 47 patients (age between 33 and 44), who underwent in vitro fertilization cycles. Pulsatility index (PI), measured before the stimulation at ovarian and uterine level showed no significant differences in patients with an adequate ovarian response (more than 3 preovulatory follicles) and those with an unadequate ovarian response (less than 3 follicles). PI values decreased in late follicular phase, remained unchanged during the early luteal phase and showed an increase in the mid-luteal phase. Furthermore, uterine and ovarian PI showed a significant negative correlation with estradiol levels. The Doppler results measured before oocyte pick up were not related to estradiol levels, endometrial thickness and patient age. On the day of embryo transfer, PI was not significantly different in patients who became pregnant, compared to patients who did not. Even if uterine perfusion seems to be an important factor for endometrial receptivity, our data, suggest that color Doppler can predict IVF results.