A comparison of the transabdominal and transvaginal methods of ultrasound-guided aspiration of pre-ovulatory oocytes for in vitro fertilisation.

The efficiency of two methods of ultrasound-guided aspiration of pre-ovulatory oocytes was compared in 238 treatment cycles, of which 166 were by the transabdominal-transvesical (TA) route and 72 by the transvaginal (TV) route. Successful collection of at least one oocyte was achieved in 86% of TA attempts and in 97% of TV attempts. Significantly less oocytes were collected from follicles by the TA methods than by the TV methods: 374 oocytes were obtained from 797 follicles (46% recovery) and 242 oocytes from 338 follicles (72% recovery), respectively. Although fertilisation occurred more frequently in TA-recovered oocyte (70% versus 54%), the incidence of cleavage per inseminated oocytes collected by these TA and TV methods was similar (49% versus 44%, respectively). Results of this study therefore suggest that the TV method is superior to the TA approach for oocyte recovery.