Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2000 Jun;43(6):968-973.

The effects of clomiphene citrate & human menopausal gonadotropin on cervical mucus and endometrium in ovulation induction of normally ovulatory women

• Kim YH
• Lee SH
• Hur M

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To assess the efficacy of clomiphene citrate(CC) and human menopausal gonadotropin(hMG) use in normally ovulatory women METHOD: Of the 104 couples who visited Chung-Ang university hospital with complaints of infertility, 151 cycles of 42 women treated with CC with hMG were compared to 143 cycles of 34 women treated with CC and 90 cycles of 28 patients of expectant management. Cervical mucus scores on the 13th day of cycle and endometrial thickness on the day of ovulation were assessed and pregnancy rates were compared.
RESULTS
Cervical mucus scores of 7.4+/-1.2 in CC with hMG were significantly lower than that of controls(12.4+/-1.6), but not significantly different from that of CC 7.8+/-1.8. Endometrial thickness of controls(14.2+/-8.6mm) were thicker than that of CC groups and CC with hMG groups(8.2+/-2.3mm, 7.8+/-3.2mm respectively). Pregnancy rates per cycles and per patients were significantly lower in CC with hMG group(9.9%, 35.7% respectively) and CC group(4.2%, 17.6% respectively) than those of controls(16.7%, 53.6% respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that CC adversely affects on cervical mucus and endometrium and lowers pregnancy rates in normally ovulatory women. Combined use of hMG cannot reverse these adverse effects of CC. Hence, empirical use of CC and CC with hMG in normally ovulatory women would be avoided and carefully reevaluated.

Keyword

ovulation; clomiphene citrate; human menopausal gonadotropin; cervical mucus

MeSH Terms

Cervix Mucus*
Clomiphene*
Endometrium*
Family Characteristics
Female
Gonadotropins*
Humans*
Infertility
Ovulation Induction*
Ovulation*
Pregnancy Rate
Clomiphene
Gonadotropins