Table 1.
Study characteristics
| Study | Design | No. of patients | Patient age, mean ± SD, years | Phenotype and stage | Duration of infertility | Diagnostic testing | Concomitant infertility factors | No. of previous attempts | Prior endometriosis surgery | Embryo transfer option | Stimulation protocol | No. of retrieved oocytes | FET protocol | High-quality embryo rate (transferred) | No. of transfers (mean ± SD) | Live birth | Clinical pregnancy | Miscarriage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asoglu (2020) | Retrospective cohort |
315 ± 180 (OG) 135 (CG) |
33.1 ± 4.2 (OG) 33.3 ± 3.4 (CG) |
Endometrioma |
3.2 ± 2 (OG) 2.9 ± 2 (CG) |
Ultrasonography | Tubal factor, male factor (severe male factor or ovulatory dysfunction was excluded) |
0.8 ± 1.2 (OG) 0.9 ± 1.5 (CG) |
0 (OG) 0 (CG) |
Based on a joint decision by the patient and doctor, but strongly recommend FET in those with premature progesterone elevation or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome risk | GnRH-antagonist protocol, long GnRH-agonist protocol |
8.5 ± 3.5 (OG) 8.5 ± 3.2 (CG) |
Artificial cycle |
113 (OG) 82 (CG) |
1.4 ± 0.5 (OG) 1.3 ± 0.5 (CG) |
101 (OG) 55 (CG) |
113 (OG) 65 (CG) |
15(OG) 12 (CG) |
| Bourdon (2018) | Retrospective cohort |
270 ± 135 (OG) 135 (CG) |
34.3 ± 4.1 (OG) 34.3 ± 3.9 (CG) |
SUP, OMA, DIE |
4.7 ± 2.7 (OG) 4.4 ± 2.3 (CG) |
Imaging criteria using TVUS, MRI, or transrectal ultrasonography or surgery and histologic proof | Male infertility, tubal factor, adenomyosis |
2.0 ± 1.1 (OG) 1.9 ± 1.0 (CG) |
43 (OG) 100 (CG) |
Based on a joint decision by the patient and doctor | Long GnRH-agonist protocol, antagonist protocol, short agonist protocol |
9.9 ± 7.0 (OG) 7.4 ± 4.3 (CG) |
Artificial cycle | NOS |
1.7 ± 0.9 (OG) 2.1 ± 0.9 (CG) |
41 (OG) 21 (CG) |
58 (OG) 40(CG) |
11 (OG) 16 (CG) |
| Mohamed (2011) | Retrospective cohort |
415 ± 148 (OG) 267 (CG) |
34 (OG) 34 (CG) |
NOS | NOS | Laparoscopy | NOS | NOS |
148 (OG) 267 (CG) |
NOS | Long GnRH-agonist protocol | NOS | Down-regulated hormonally controlled cycle | NOS | NOS |
25 (OG) 52 (CG) |
27 (OG) 54 (CG) |
2 (OG) 2 (CG) |
| Tan (2021) | Retrospective cohort |
728 ± 389 (OG) 339 (CG) |
35.9 ± 0.3 (OG) 35.5 ± 0.2 (CG) |
Stage I-IV (rASRM) |
2.9 ± 0.3 (OG) 2.8 ± 0.3 (CG) |
Surgery and histologic proof | Male factor (severe male factor, adenomyosis, or tubal factor was excluded) | NOS | NOS | Based on a joint decision by the patient and doctor | GnRH-antagonist protocol |
8.2 ± 0.8 (OG) 7.4 ± 4.3 (CG) |
Artificial cycle | NOS | NOS | NOS |
159 (OG) 139 (CG) |
34 (OG) 29 (CG) |
| Wang (2018) | Retrospective cohort |
521 ± 419 (OG) 102 (CG) |
30.4 ± 3.9 (OG) 31.2 ± 3.8 (CG) |
Stage I-II (rASRM) |
4.0 ± 2.2 (OG) 4.1 ± 3.0 (CG) |
Laparoscopy | NOS | NOS | NOS | FET was conducted in those with other uterine factors (such as endometrial polyps, submucosal fibroids), premature progesterone elevation, or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome risk | Ultra-long protocol, modified ultra-long protocol, long GnRH-agonist protocol |
15.1 ± 8.9 (OG) 13.2 ± 8.0 (CG) |
Down-regulated hormonally controlled cycle |
65.5% (OG) 69.8% (CG) |
NOS |
141 (OG) 29 (CG) |
180 (OG) 48 (CG) |
12 (OG) 7 (CG) |
| Wu (2019) | Retrospective cohort |
315 ± 180 (OG) 135 (CG) |
33.1 ± 4.2 (OG) 33.3 ± 3.4 (CG) |
Stage III-IV (rASRM) |
3.2 ± 2 (OG) 2.9 ± 2 (CG) |
Laparoscopy | Tubal factor, male factor | NOS | NOS | Based on a joint decision by the patient and doctor, but strongly recommend FET in those with premature progesterone elevation or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome risk | NOS |
8.5 ± 3.5 (OG) 8.5 ± 3.2 (CG) |
NOS | NOS |
2 (OG) 2 (CG) |
101 (OG) 55 (CG) |
113 (OG) 65 (CG) |
15 (OG) 12 (CG) |
ASRM American Society of Reproductive Medicine, CG control group, DIE deeply infiltrating endometriosis, FET frozen embryo transfer, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, NOS not otherwise specified, OG observation group, OMA ovarian endometrioma, SUP superficial peritoneal endometriosis, TVUS transvaginal ultrasonography