Correction of the luteal phase defect with clomiphene citrate

Among the various strategies proposed for the therapy of the luteal phase defects (L.P.D.), the administration of clomiphene citrate during the early follicular phase has proved to be very effective even though it is not one of the most used. Nevertheless, very soon has been risen the question if such drug acts by an overphysiological increase of the hormonal levels or instead by a re-balance of the altered latter ones. In order to answer this question a clinical study was carried out during 265 cycles on 63 normally ovulating and menstruating women, whose 27 with a luteal phase defect (L.P.D.), detected by clinical, echographic, endocrine, and morphological criteria. Each of these latter patients were given clomiphene citrate, 100 mg per day from the 2nd to the 6th day of the cycle, for a total of 108 cycles. The other 36 women without any luteal abnormality, were used during 156 cycles, as a control group. At the end of our study there were no significant differences in all parameters between two studied groups. This suggest that early follicular phase administration of clomiphene citrate in these pathologies can act by gradually improving the luteal function.