Comparative trial of clomiphene citrate/human menopausal gonadotropin and the contraceptive pill, followed by clomiphene citrate/human menopausal gonadotropin, in a gamete intrafallopian transfer program.

PURPOSE: It may sometimes be necessary to regulate cycles in assisted reproduction. Cycles can be regulated with gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRHa) agonist but other methods can also be used. The aim of this study was to compare the pregnancy rate in a gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) program in patients receiving a contraceptive pill/Clomid/human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) regimen (study group), with the standard Clomid/hMG regime (control group). Fifty one patients in the study group were carefully matched for patient age, infertility diagnosis (female), semen parameters, number of follicles, and number of oocytes transferred into consideration with a control group.

RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate was 21.6% (11/51) in the study group and 47% (24/51) in the control group (P = 0.01). However, the ongoing pregnancy rate in the two groups did not differ significantly, 11.8% (6/51) vs 27.5% (14/51) (P = 0.08). In the study group, 7.8% of patients had to be seen over a weekend, compared to 13.7% in the control group (not significant).

CONCLUSION: From the findings we conclude that, although this method of controlling cycles can be useful in selected patients, it is not the ultimate method.