Tubal surgery versus assisted reproduction: assessing their role in infertility therapy.

The majority of women with tubal/pelvic infective damage have a poor prognosis for natural conception, and in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer would be a better primary choice. Other determining factors are sperm disorder or the woman's age, and personal issues may be of overriding importance. The most important requirement in the first place, however, is well defined, comparable statistical information on time-specific cumulative pregnancy rates related to specific diagnostic features. The main aims of this review are to analyze the most useful comparable data available and present them in graphical form for easy reference and clear understanding (by the patients too), and to try to derive a practically simple and prognostically valuable diagnostic classification.