[Deep infiltrative endometriosis without digestive involvement, what is the impact of surgery on in vitro fertilization outcomes? A retrospective study]

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of complete removal of endometriosis in case of deep infiltrative endometriosis without digestive involvement, on in vitro fertilization outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective monocentric study. We included infertile women with deep infiltrative endometriosis without colorectal involvement that underwent IVF. Women were divided in two groups, following their history: "surgery" when they underwent complete endometriosis resection before IVF and "without surgery" when they underwent IVF without endometriosis removal. We analysed IVF outcomes considering pregnancy rates per cycle and cumulative pregnancy rates per patient.

Results: We included 72 patients: 35 in the "surgery" group and 37 in the "without surgery" group. Women in the two groups were comparable in terms of baseline characteristics (age, body mass index, anti-Müllerian hormone, antral follicular count), endometriosis localizations and in vitro fertilization parameters. Cumulative pregnancy rates per patient were similar in both groups (40 % in the "surgery" group and 41 % in the "without surgery" group; P=1). Clinical pregnancy rate per cycle were also comparable groups (24 % in the "surgery" group and 28 % in the "without surgery" group; P=0.67). Surgery performed was comparable in women that became pregnant and in women that did not. Age was lower in women that became pregnant (P=0.01) and there were more pregnancy obtained in women under 35 years.

Conclusion: In women with deep infiltrative endometriosis without digestive involvement, in vitro fertilization outcomes were not impacted by surgery. Therapeutic choice between IVF or surgery as first-line treatment remains thus questionable and shall be guided by other influencing factors, such as pain symptomatology, age, tubal permeability, ovarian reserve, partner's sperm characteristics and woman's choice.