Comparison of Effectiveness of Different Protocols Used for Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation in Intrauterine...

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is one of the most commonly performed procedure of assisted reproductive technology, for the treatment of infertility. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation is an important first step while performing IUI. This study aims at establishing a relationship between stimulation protocol and pregnancy outcome following IUI.

This is a retrospective study of 1001 cycles of IUI in which the patients were divided into two groups: Group A Clomiphene citrate (CC only) and Group B Clomiphene citrate and Gonadotropin or Gonadotropin alone(CC+GN OR GN alone). The primary outcome assessed was clinical pregnancy rates (CPRs), and the secondary outcomes were miscarriage rate (MR), multiple pregnancy rates (MPRs), follicle numbers and endometrial thickness (ET).

Significantly, higher CPR was observed in Group B in comparison with Group A (14.55 vs. 7.82%; p = 0.05). MR was much higher in Group A in comparison with Group B, (14.29 vs. 5.43%; p = 0.94), but it was non-significant. The follicle number and the ET of the Group A versus Group B are (1.54 ± 0.69 vs. 1.90 ± 1.04; p = 0.0003) and (8.56 ± 1.33 vs. 8.39 ± 1.29; p = 0.1784), respectively; and for subgroups, Group B1 and Group B2 are 1.92 ± 0.99 versus 1.65 ± 0.92; p = 0.0008 and 8.32 ± 1.27 vs. 8.69 ± 1.24; p = 0.0004, respectively.

GN, either alone or the combination with CC, gives a higher CPR and a lower abortion rate following IUI, thus increasing the multiple pregnancy rate.