Effectiveness of GnRH antagonist in intrauterine insemination cycles

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of GnRH antagonists in women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination cycles (COS/IUI).

Study design: Randomized controlled trial. Recruited women were randomized into two groups: GnRH antagonist and control group. The primary outcomes were incidence of premature LH surge and clinical pregnancy rates.

Results: One hundred and forty-one consecutive women were included in the study, with 70 in the antagonist group and 71 in the control arm. The baseline clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. The incidence of premature LH surge and premature luteinization was lower in the antagonist group as compared to the control group (5% vs. 10.3%, P=0.45 and 5% vs. 13.8, P=0.31) but not statistically significant. The clinical pregnancy rates were lower in the antagonist group (2.8% vs. 10%, P=0.12), which was also not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The addition of GnRH antagonist during controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination cycles does not lead to improvement in clinical pregnancy rates.