Ultrasound guided embryo transfer for women undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) for infertility - is it helpful for the procedure to be guided by a trained ultrasonographer and does this lead to the embryo being correctly placed more often?

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Embryo transfer is the final process in the highly technical treatment of IVF. It is performed via the cervix and the embryo is placed into the uterine cavity via a fine catheter. Studies demonstrate that pregnancy rates are better when embryo transfer is performed under ultrasound guidance. Studies have also looked at the position of the bubble(fluid containing the embryo) on ultrasound following embryo transfer, with a sweet spot at 15mm from the fundal endometrium. Currently in most clinics ultrasound guidance is not performed by a person formally trained in pelvic ultrasound. The ultrasound probe is often positioned by the doctor and held by the patient whilst the doctor performs the transfer. The researchers hypothesize that performing the transfer with a trained sonographer will lead to a higher number of embryos being in the best position in the uterine cavity. We hypothesize that as compared to a patient holding the ultrasound probe, the sonographer is skilled at locating the endometrium, dynamically adjusting the probe and guiding the doctor to place the embryo in the ideal position. This study will assess the distance of the bubble from the fundal endometrium immediately following embryo transfer.

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