Management of secondary infertility following cesarean section: Report from the Subcommittee of the Reproductive Endocrinology Committee of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the current status and management of secondary infertility following cesarean section in Japan. Material and Methods: A two-step questionnaire survey was performed in 1092 facilities, including teaching hospitals and artificial reproductive technology clinics, registered with the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In our questionnaires, we obtained data about symptoms, clinical findings, diagnostic methods, and pregnancy outcomes. Treatments were sorted into three groups, namely typical infertility treatment (group A), conservative treatment (group B), and operative treatment (group C). Results: Of the 1092 facilities, 616 (56%) sent back reply forms to the first questionnaire; 56 (32%) of 176 facilities answered the second questionnaire, and 189 cases were able to be analyzed after completion of the two questionnaires. The commonest symptom was abnormal uterine bleeding during the follicular phase (91 cases; 48% of the 189 eligible cases), and the commonest clinical finding was fluid pooling in the area of cesarean scar dehiscence during the ovulatory phase (142 cases; 75%). The most commonly used diagnostic method was transvaginal ultrasound (153 cases, 81%). The pregnancy rate was 33% in group A, 50% in group B, and 60% in group C. In patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, painful symptoms and fluid pooling at the cesarean scar dehiscence, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher in group C (64%) than in group A (16%; P = 0.0063). Conclusions: We recommend operative treatment for secondary infertility following cesarean section with painful symptoms and fluid pooling at the site of cesarean scar dehiscence.