The correlation between mock embryo transfers prior to the start of IVF cycle with real embryo transfer

Background: it has been demonstrated that performing a mock embryo transfer (et) significantlyimproves the pregnancy rate in ivf cycles. the mock et could be performed prior to the stimulationcycle or immediately before real e'i', the problem of the first procedure is the possibility of variation inthe uterine position andor cervico-uterine angle.objective: the purpose of this study was to determine the consistency of the type of et in mock etpriorto the treatment cycle withreal et.materials and methods: a prospective comparison between the technique of mock embryo transfer andreal embryo transfer. onehundred and sixty treatment cycles on 141 patients between january 2003 andseptember 2004 ended to et and they were analyzed prospectively. in each cycle, patients underwent amock etin midluteal phase priorto treatment cycle (the date when patients referred to have consultationabout down regulation regimen).results: of 160 mock et the wallace catheter passed easily in 144 (90%) of them. in the remaining 16cycles (100/0) a tenaculum and or a rigid cannula had to be used. from 144 cases of easy mock et, realet was easy in 121 (84%) cases while 23 (16%) cases had difficultly during real et. in the 16 cases ofdifficult mock et, there was 8 cases (50%) of difficult real et and 8 cases (50%) of easy real et(p=o.ooi, x2=10.67). theoverall clinical pregnancy rate for both difficult andeasytransfer was 35%. thepregnancy rate for easy real et was 37.2% and for difficult real et was 25.87%. despite of thedifference, the statistical analysis shows no significance difference (x2=1.21). the difference betweenmean agefor both difficult andeasyreal transfer wasnot significant.conclusion: mock etbefore beginning of the treatment cycle is highly consistent withreal et.