Letrozole versus human menopausal gonadotrophin in women undergoing intrauterine insemination

Abstract

This pilot study was conducted to compare the results of intrauterine insemination (IUI) under ovarian stimulation with either letrozole (Femara) or human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG). A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Eighty women aged 20-35 years with unexplained infertility of at least 2 years' duration were randomized according to a computer-generated randomization list into the letrozole group and the HMG group. Letrozole was administered at 5 mg/day from day 3 to day 7 of the IUI cycle. HMG injections were started on day 3 at a dose of 75 IU for women under 30 years old and 150 IU for women over 30 years old and monitored periodically by vaginal ultrasound and oestradiol concentrations. The variables selected for analysis were clinical pregnancy rate, endometrial thickness, length of follicular phase and number of preovulatory follicles. No statistically significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates per cycle was found for patients in the letrozole or HMG group (18.4 versus 15.7%). Cost was significantly higher in the HMG stimulation cases (P < 0.001) and no injections were required in the letrozole group. In conclusion, letrozole offers a new treatment regimen in ovarian stimulation regimens for IUI that is cost effective, simple and convenient for the patients.