Natural cycle versus ovulation induction cycle in intrauterine insemination / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the results of the natural cycle and ovulation induction cycle in intrauterine insemination (IUI) for infertile couples of different ages.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed 746 IUI cycles for 363 infertile couples, who were divided into a natural cycle (NC) and an ovulation induction cycle (OIC) group. The two groups were respectively subdivided into a < 35 yr and a > or = 35 yr age group, and, according to the drugs used, the OIC group was again divided into subgroups of clomiphene citrate + Progynova (CC + P), menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and CC + HMG. The rates of clinical pregnancy, abortion and delivery were compared among different groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the NC than in the OIC group (11.35% versus 19.61%, P < 0.01), but the rates of abortion and delivery had no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05), nor did the rate of clinical pregnancy among the subgroups of CC + P, HMG and CC + HMG (18.00%, 25.00% and 19.35%, P > 0.05). The < 35-year-old patients showed statistically lower rates of pregnancy and delivery in the NC than in the OIC group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05), while the > or = 35-year-olds exhibited no significant differences in the rates of clinical pregnancy, abortion and delivery between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ovulation induction cycle could achieve a higher pregnancy rate than the natural cycle in IUI, whether with CC + P, HMG or CC + HMG, particularly for the infertile patients under 35 years. But the natural cycle is preferable for the > or = 35-year-olds.</p>