The outcomes of pregnancies after laparoscopic surgeries for pathologic changes on distal oviduct: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed to summarize the body of evidence on the prognosis after laparoscopic surgeries for pathological conditions on distal oviducts, then, furthermore, to evaluate prognostic factors for pregnancy outcomes. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the body of evidence on this topic, with the review question formulated as “what is the prognosis after the laparoscopic fimbrioplasty, salpingostomy, or salpingoneostomy for patients with pathologic conditions on the distal oviducts.” We searched Medline and EMBASE on June 1st, 2020. Two investigators (HH and ZY) independently screened the references of all retrieved records for potentially eligible studies by firstly, through titles and abstract, and then full-text. A study would be included if it was a primary study reporting pregnancy outcomes of patients after laparascopic surgery. A meta-analysis of the rates of pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage was performed using a random effect model. Results We identified 3861 records and included 21 reports with 2473 participants. The pooled estimate for the pregnancy rate was 35.1% (95% CI: 30.7%–39.7%, I2 ​= ​78%, low certainty). The pooled estimates for the live birth rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and miscarriage were 24.4% (95% CI: 20.2%–28.8%, I2 ​= ​58%; 1154 participants; low certainty), 6.2% (95% CI: 4.4%–8.2%, I2 ​= ​61%; 2363 participants; low certainty), and 4.6% (95% CI: 2.8%–6.9%, I2 ​= ​10%; 544 participants; low certainty). Our analyses suggested that the more damaged tubal was associated with a decreased pregnancy rate, and patients with moderate or severe adhesion had lower pregnancy rates compared with patients with mild pelvic adhesion. Conclusion We estimated the pregnancy rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and miscarriage rate of patients with distal tubal pathology after the laparoscopic fimbrioplasty or salpingostomy. Low certainty evidence suggested that laparoscopic surgery can restore the tubal function and cure infertility and should be considered as an alternative to in vitro fertilization. Tubal damage stage and adhesion are associated with worse pregnancy outcomes.