Does cervical mucus removal before embryo transfer have an effect on cycle outcome in women undergoing ICSI?: A randomised controlled trial.
Muserref Banu Yilmaz, Belgin Devranoglu, Habibe Ayvacı Tasan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomised controlled trial assessed whether removing cervical mucus before embryo transfer affects clinical pregnancy rates in women undergoing ICSI. It enrolled 183 patients with at least one good-quality embryo and adequate endometrial thickness and pattern, assigning them to removal with a cotton swab, removal with a Pipella cannula, or no removal. Clinical pregnancy rates were similar across all three groups. The study therefore found no significant impact of cervical mucus removal on this outcome, regardless of the removal method.
Key findings
- Clinical pregnancy rates were similar among the cotton-swab, Pipella-cannula, and no-removal groups.
- The groups did not differ significantly in the reported cycle characteristics, including numbers of oocytes retrieved, fertilised oocytes, and embryos transferred.
Why it matters
Cervical mucus removal is a procedural step that may be used before embryo transfer, but this trial found no improvement in clinical pregnancy rates with either tested removal method. The result informs evaluation of whether routine removal is necessary in ICSI cycles, while applying specifically to the population and outcome studied.
What to keep in mind
The abstract reports clinical pregnancy as the primary outcome but provides no group-specific rates or longer-term outcomes.