Intrauterine donor insemination in single women and lesbian couples: a comparative study of pregnancy rates

The outcome of intrauterine donor insemination (IUI-DI) with frozen spermat ozoa was analysed retrospectively in 675 cycles in single women (n = 122; 5 36 cycles) and lesbian (n = 35; 139 cycles) couples, The lesbian patients w ere younger at the initiation of treatment (mean 34.5 years; range 26-44) t han the single women (mean 38.5; range 29-47) (P = 0.005), Clinical pregnan cy rate was 36% in single women and 57% in lesbians (P < 0.05), the cumulat ive pregnancy rate after six cycles being 47% and 70% respectively, althoug h the outcome was similar when related to age. The miscarriage rate was hig her (35%) in single women than in lesbians (15%; P < 0.05), the rate being independent of maternal age, There were no apparent differences seen betwee n the two groups with respect to the possible effect of parity, duration of infertility, causes of infertility and type of treatment at initiation of treatment; the sole exception was that the age of lesbian women was statist ically significantly younger than that of single women (P < 0.005), When co rrected for age, the pregnancy rates and complications were lower and highe r respectively in single women but these differences did not reach statisti cal significance, However, the disparity between the treatment outcomes of single women and lesbian patients of similar ages may also reflect the fact that single women are likely to have failed to conceive for a period of ti me prior to referral to a specialist centre for treatment.