Births after transcervical gamete intrafallopian transfer with a falloposcopic delivery system.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficiency of a new delivery system to perform transcervical GIFT.
Design: Evaluation of pregnancy rate (PR), miscarriage rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and delivery rate.
Setting: Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology Unit, Infertility and IVF Center.
Patient(s): Twenty-five patients with patent tubes documented by laparoscopy plus falloposcopy.
Intervention(s): Superovulation was induced with GnRH analogue and FSH. Under laparoscopic control, transcervical cannulation of the tube was done using a linear everting catheter incorporating direct falloposcopic vision of the tubal lumen. Two lengths of everting catheter (3 and 6 cm) were used providing either isthmic-ampullary or midampullary placement of the inoculum. A comparison was done in terms of ease of access and transfer, falloposcopic observations, and PRs between the groups.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Efficacy was established by evaluating the PR, miscarriage rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and delivery rate.
Result(s): The PR was 28% (with no differences between the lengths of everting catheters). No ectopic pregnancies occurred. The abortion rate was 28.6% and the delivery rate was 20%. Neither tubal perforation nor other complications occurred during the procedure.
Conclusion(s): Falloposcopic GIFT is safe and efficient and may be a less invasive alternative than laparoscopic transfer.