USE OF ENDOMETRIAL MEASUREMENT AS AN EXCLUSION CRITERION FOR IN-VITROFERTILIZATION USING CLOMIPHENE CITRATE

OBJECTIVE: Previous reports have indicated an association between endo metrial development and pregnancy outcome for patients treated with cl omiphene citrate (CC) in conjunction with intrauterine insemination th e use of CC for ovulation induction in association with in vitro ferti lization (IVF). This study was designed to determine if endometrial th ickness should be used as an inclusion or exclusion criterion for CC-I VF. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred twenty-eight patients were enrolled in a n ovulation-induction regimen using CC for expected IVF-ET between Jan uary 1992 and December 1992. A total of 81 patients met inclusion crit eria for CC-IVF and had endometrial measurement performed prior to hum an chorionic gonadotropin administration. Patients were categorized on the basis of endometrial measurement as follows: (A) > 4-< 7 mm, (B) greater than or equal to 7-less than or equal to 10 mm, and (C) >10 mm . Standard IVF was performed, and pregnancy rates for each category we re evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 23 pregnancies (28% per retrieval) w ere established. Pregnancy rates were not different by category (P >.1 0, Fisher's Exact Test): (A) 3/15 (20%), (B) 13/41 (32%), and (C) 7/25 (28%). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that for CC-IVF, endometrial me asurement should not be used as an exclusion criterion since pregnanci es occurred at comparable frequencies in all the groups.