Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 11, 2881-2884,
November 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
A randomized double-blind comparison of perifollicular vascularity and endometrial receptivity in ovulatory women taking clomiphene citrate at two different times
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
BACKGROUND: It is still controversial whether the day of clomiphene citrate initiation has any impact on the pregnancy rate. This study aimed to compare the perifollicular vascularity and endometrial receptivity of ovulatory women who started clomiphene citrate on day 2 and day 5. METHODS: Thirty-five women with regular ovulatory cycles were first monitored in a natural cycle and then randomized by computer-generated random numbers put in sealed opaque envelopes to receive 50 mg clomiphene citrate on days 2–6 or on days 5–9. The hormonal profile, the number of dominant follicles, the grading of perifollicular vascularity, endometrial thickness and Doppler flow indices of uterine/subendometrial arteries were compared between both groups. RESULTS: All the above parameters were similar for both groups on the day of the LH surge and 7 days after the LH surge. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in oocyte quality graded by the perifollicular vascularity and the endometrial receptivity assessed by endometrial thickness and Doppler flow indices of uterine and subendometrial vessels when clomiphene citrate was started in regularly ovulatory women on day 2 or on day 5.
Key words: clomiphene citrate/endometrial receptivity/follicular vascularity/power Doppler
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, United Christian Hospital,130 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong. E-mail: w8382982{at}netvigator.com