Hormone and ultrasound parameters in ovarian stimulation cycles for direct intraperitoneal insemination

To determine hormonal and ultrasound parameters associated with pregnancies, 115 women with unexplained infertility (n = 82), endometriosis (n = 22) or cervical factor (n = 11) were treated with direct intraperitoneal insemination (DIPI) after ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotrophins (HMG). Twenty women conceived and were compared with the remaining 95 non-pregnant women during one treatment cycle. Women with basal FSH levels less than or equal to 1.25 micrograms/l responded with higher oestradiol levels (P less than 0.0001), with the development of more follicles (P less than 0.05) and higher progesterone levels (P less than 0.05) than women with basal FSH levels greater than 1.25 micrograms/l, but the conception rates were similar. Women with miscarriages or biochemical pregnancies had a higher basal FSH value than both the women with term pregnancies and the non-pregnant women. Women with at least 3 preovulatory follicles greater than or equal to 15 mm had a higher pregnancy rate than those with fewer follicles, but a further increase was not observed above that number. The endometrium was thicker on the day of ovulation induction in cycles leading to a term pregnancy than in cycles without conception or with a biochemical pregnancy. No term pregnancy was observed when the endometrium was thinner than 8 mm. Women with a short luteal phase (less than 12 days) had a higher ratio of oestradiol/progesterone in the midluteal phase than women with a luteal phase of greater than or equal to 12 days and pregnant women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)