Transvaginal Hybrid-NOTES procedures-do they have a negative impact on pregnancy and delivery?

Purpose: We conducted a retrospective observational study in order to identify negative effects of NOTES procedures (Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery) with transvaginal specimen removal on pregnancy and delivery.

Methods: From the total population of 299 patients in our NOTES registry, we tried to contact the 121 patients who were of reproductive age (≤ 45 years) at the time of a transvaginal NOTES procedure. They were interviewed by telephone regarding their desire for children, post NOTES-operation pregnancies, and type of delivery using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed and compared with current data.

Results: We were able to contact 76 patients (follow-up rate: 62.8%) with a median follow-up of 77 months after surgery (33-129 months). Twenty of 74 participating patients had a desire for children (27.0%). One of them and another's male partner were diagnosed as infertile. Regarding the remaining 18 patients, 14 became pregnant, and three of them became pregnant twice. Considering these 17 pregnancies, there was one miscarriage (5.9%) and one twin birth (5.9%). On average, childbirth occurred 44 months after the NOTES procedure. With regard to the type of delivery, 10 vaginal births (58.8%) and 7 caesarean sections (41.2%) occurred. Thus, the rate of fulfilled desire for children was 77.8%. Compared with the literature, no difference to the normal course could be detected.

Conclusion: There is no sign that the transvaginal approach in Hybrid-NOTES, with removal of the specimen through the vagina, has a negative effect on conception, the course during pregnancy, or the type of delivery.