EVALUATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ESTRADIOL RESPONSE DURING THE CLOMIPHENE CITRATE CHALLENGE TEST

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the E2 response during the clomiphene citrate (CC) challenge test and ovarian responsiveness to exogenous gonadotropins. Design: Performance of a CC challenge tes t followed by ovulation induction with exogenous gonadotropins as part of participation in an assisted reproduction program. Setting: Assist ed reproduction program in a large military tertiary care center. Pati ents: Two hundred forty-seven women between the ages of 24 and 39 year s with normal CC challenge tests within 1 year of their assisted repro duction cycle. Interventions: Performance of CC challenge tests and ov ulation induction with exogenous gonadotropins as a component of an as sisted reproduction cycle. Main Outcome Measures: Correlation of the E 2 response during the CC challenge test and peak E2, the duration of s timulation, number of ampules of exogenous gonadotropins, number of ma ture follicles, number of mature oocytes recovered, and fertilization and pregnancy rates in an assisted reproduction program. Results: No c orrelation exists between the E2 response during the CC challenge test and any of the parameters evaluated. Conclusion: Monitoring of the E2 response during the CC challenge test did not predict ovarian respons iveness or pregnancy rates in patients participating in an assisted re production program and one may choose not to include it in routine tes ting.