H2Oil trial links oil-based contrast agent to higher pregnancy rates in fertility testing
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that Guerbet’s Lipiodol® Ultra-Fluide improves pregnancy outcomes in hysterosalpingography compared to water-soluble alternatives.
Findings from the H2Oil study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that the use of oil-based contrast media in hysterosalpingography (HSG) may correlate with higher pregnancy rates in infertile women. HSG is a diagnostic radiology procedure used to examine the uterine cavity and the patency of the fallopian tubes.
The randomized controlled trial involved 1,119 women undergoing investigation for infertility across 27 centers in the Netherlands. Participants were assigned either standard water-soluble contrast media or Guerbet’s Lipiodol® Ultra-Fluide. Results indicated that six months post-procedure, the pregnancy rate was 39.7% in the oil-based group, compared to 29.1% in the water-soluble group.
Researchers noted that adverse event rates remained low and comparable between both cohorts. Guerbet’s medical and regulatory affairs division stated that the publication supports the role of Lipiodol® Ultra-Fluide within the broader clinical fertility work-up. The data was formally presented at the 13th World Congress on Endometriosis in Vancouver.