Are the Stage and the Incidental Finding of Endometriosis Associated with Fallopian Tube Occlusion? A Retrospective Cohort Study on Laparoscopic Chromopertubation in Infertile Women

Abstract

Endometriosis seems to have a strong negative effect on female fertility. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of tubal occlusion diagnosed via laparoscopic chromopertubation in infertile women with endometriosis and compare the results to infertile women without endometriosis. In this retrospective cohort study, 275 infertile women with endometriosis and 49 infertile women without endometriosis undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy for primary or secondary infertility with chromopertubation at the Medical University of Vienna between January 2012 and December 2020 have been investigated. During the laparoscopic assessment of tubal patency, significantly more fallopian tubes were occluded in the endometriosis group compared to the control group (25.8 versus 15.3%; p = 0.029). Unilateral and bilateral occlusion was found significantly more often in patients with endometriosis (p = 0.021). In the multivariate analysis, only the rASRM stage (the revised classification of endometriosis by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine) showed a significant association with bilateral occlusion (OR 1.400, 95%CI: 1.018–1.926; p = 0.038). Both a higher rASRM stage (OR 2.181, 95%CI: 1.191–3.995; p = 0.012) and secondary infertility (OR 1.514, 95%CI: 1.156–1.983; p = 0.003) were associated with an increased risk for any kind of fallopian tube occlusion. Endometriosis seems to be associated with an increased risk for fallopian tube occlusion. The rate of tubal occlusion increased significantly with the rASRM stage.