The effects of 3-day clomiphene citrate treatment on endocrine and ovulatory responses

A prospective cohort, paired clinical trial was carried out to test a shorter clomiphene citrate regimen of 3 days, measuring the endocrine outcomes and ovulatory responses. The trial took place at Gazi University Medical School Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The 28 infertile patients were newly accepted to the clinic with hypothalamopituitary disorder according to WHO classification Group II. They were treated with 50 mg/day clomiphene citrate (CC) for 3 days in 63 cycles. The control group of 28 paired patients were treated with 50 mg/day CC for 5 days in 40 cycles. The main outcome measures were: serum estradiol levels on day 11 (E-11), 14 (E-14) and postovulatory day 7 (E+ 7); serum progesterone levels on postovulatory day 7 (P+ 7); endometrial thickness on day 14 of the cycle; mean follicular phase length; and ovulation rates. The mean ages, gravidas, paritas, menstrual histories, E-11, P+ 7 levels, mean follicular phase length and luteal phase length were similar in both groups. E-14 (229.76 +/- 156.05 pg/ml vs. 338.25 +/- 350.60 pg/ml) and E+ 7 (217.30 +/- 114.95 pg/ml vs. 310.6 +/- 11.05 pg/ml) were significantly lower, whereas mean endometrial thickness on day 14 (10.30 +/- 1.39 mm vs. 9.52 +/- 1.96 mm) were significantly higher in the study group compared to controls (p < 0.05). Ovulation occurred in 82.53% of cycles in the study group and 95% in controls. In the study group, pregnancy was achieved in 17.3% of the ovulatory cycles; this rate was 10.5% in the control group. To decrease the peripheral antiestrogenic effects of CC, a regimen of 50 mg/day for 3 days may be used as a starting dose instead of the standard 5-day regimen.