Clinical Research Directory

Comparison of Surgical Management of Early Pregnancy Loss by Suction Curettage Versus Hysteroscopy in Patients Undergoing In-vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Early pregnancy loss occurs in \~15% of pregnancies. The treatment options include surgical uterine evacuation by suction curettage, medical management with misoprostol, or conservative management without interventions. The advantages of surgical management include quick resolution of the pregnancy and avoidance of heavy vaginal bleeding, while the disadvantages include retained products of conception and intrauterine adhesion formation which could affect future fertility. With the aim of reducing the complications of suction curettage, uterine evacuation using operative hysteroscopy has been suggested. In a previous study, the investigators compared suction curettage with operative hysteroscopy for the surgical management of early pregnancy loss up to 10 weeks of gestation. The results showed significantly reduced adhesions rate (4.2% in the hysteroscopy group vs. 45.2% in the suction group, p \< 0.01), although the operative time was significantly longer for the hysteroscopy. In this follow-up study, the investigators will compare the outcomes of hysteroscopy and suction curettage in a select group of patients with early pregnancy loss following conception by in-vitro fertilization. These patients are at risk for adhesions and therefore candidates for the hysteroscopic intervention. The study will include 50 patients randomized to 2 intervention arms - hysteroscopy using a tissue removal device versus the standard suction curettage. Post-operative adhesions will be assessed by office hysteroscopy after 6-8 weeks.