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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Intrauterine Insemination | Study protocol

Endometrial scratch vs no intervention in egg donation cycles: the ENDOSCRATCH trial protocol

Authors: Alexandra Izquierdo, Laura de la Fuente, Katharina Spies, Jennifer Rayward, Lourdes López, David Lora, Alberto Galindo

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

The effects of endometrial scratching (ES) on embryo implantation have been studied for many years. Several studies have shown better outcomes when performed on patients undergoing intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, but many other reports have not been able to find these differences. As far as cycles with donor eggs are concerned, reported evidence is scarce. Our aim in this trial is to determine if ES is useful for those patients undergoing IVF cycles with donor eggs, in order to assure a greater homogeneity in embryo quality and endometrial preparation.

Methods

This single centre randomized controlled trial will include patients undergoing an egg donation cycle, meeting the inclusion criteria and who accept to participate in the study. Once informed consent is signed, patients will be randomly allocated to the study arm (group A) and then receive ES in the luteal phase of the cycle prior to embryo transfer, or the control arm (group B) without any intervention. All cycle data will be collected and analyzed to obtain the clinical pregnancy and the live birth rates in the two groups.

Discussion

Several studies have tried to determine the effectiveness of an ES in IVF cycles, but it is still unclear due to the heterogeneity of these reports. The aim of this study is to determine if there are differences in clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in egg donor cycles, when comparing an ES performed in the preceding luteal phase versus no intervention, given that embryo quality and endometrial preparation protocols will be comparable.

Trial registration

Ethical approval of version 2.0 of this trial was obtained on the 13th January 2017. It was retrospectively registered on the 5th April 2017 as the ENDOSCRATCH Trial (NCT03108157) in ClinicalTrials.gov.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Endometrial scratch vs no intervention in egg donation cycles: the ENDOSCRATCH trial protocol
Authors
Alexandra Izquierdo
Laura de la Fuente
Katharina Spies
Jennifer Rayward
Lourdes López
David Lora
Alberto Galindo
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-02958-0

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