A comparison between uterine artery blood flow in fertile and unexplained infertile women by Doppler ultrasound using pulsatility index and resistance index

Ariana Khalis  Jawad; Dastan Hamaali  Hama; Srwa Jamal  Murad

doi:10.56056/amj.2022.171

Authors

Ariana Khalis Jawad Asst. Prof. Consultant Obstetrics and Gynecology, MBChB, CABOG, FICMSOG, Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital and college of medicine/University of Salahaddin
Dastan Hamaali Hama MBChB, KHCMS/ Obstetrics and Gynecology trainee, Sulaymaniyah Maternity Teaching Hospital
Srwa Jamal Murad MBChB, FIBCOG. KBMS supervisor, Sulaymaniyah Maternity Teaching Hospital and college of medicine/University of Sulaymaniyah.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56056/amj.2022.171

Keywords:

Unexplained Infertility, Pulsatility Index, Resistance Index, Fertility, Transvaginal color Doppler study

Abstract

Background and objectives: Infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of regular unprotected intercourse. Unexplained infertility is present if the basic fertility investigations are normal.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the use of uterine artery blood flow as a cause of unexplained infertility (using the pulsatility index, and resistance index) and compare them to fertile women.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed on 70 patients (35 fertile and 35 with unexplained infertility patients) in Sulaymaniyah Maternity Teaching Hospital, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, from October 2016 to December 2017. Transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound was done in the mid-luteal phase (day 21 - 24) for the uterine artery by using the pulsatility index and resistance index.

Results: The age of the patients ranged from 20 - 39 years. The uterine artery pulsatility index was significantly higher in the unexplained infertile women (mean ± SD = 2.78 ± 0.615) than in fertile women (mean ± SD = 2.42 ± 0.325). The uterine artery blood flow resistance index was significantly higher in the unexplained infertile group (mean ± SD = 0.899 ± 0.066) than in fertile women (mean ± SD = 0.83 ± 0.054).

Conclusions: Unexplained infertility is associated with decreased uterine artery blood flow and increased uterine artery resistance (pulsatility index and resistance index) when compared with fertile women.

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