Comparison of Low-Dose HCG plus GnRH Agonist with Standard Dose of HCG Alone in Intrauterine Insemination Cycles with Antagonist Protocols

One of the most important steps in success of assisted reproductive techniques is appropriate ovulation induction and effective ovarian follicles stimulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the comparison of low-dose hCG plus gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist on ovulation induction and with standard dose hCG alone in intrauterine insemination technique with antagonist protocol. This clinical trial was conducted on 100 infertile couples who referred to infertility research center in Shahid Sadoughi university of medical sciences، Yazd، 2010 - 2011. Infertile women aged 18 to 35 who were treated with antagonist protocol were divided randomly into two groups after development of at least 3 follicles beyond 18mm diameter. Low dose of hCG (2500 IU) plus GnRH agonist (0. 2mg Triptorelin، intra muscular) were given to one group (n=70) and the next group (n=70) received hCG alone (10،000 IU، intra muscular). After 34 to 36 hours of injection intrauterine insemination was done in both groups. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 11. 5 and T student and Chi-square tests. P value less than 0. 05 was considered significant. The patients were not different in terms of endometrial thickness، estradiol levels on day of hCG injection and the number of used gonadotropin ampoules (p=0. 1). Higher incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was seen in the only hCG group، but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0. 1). Chemical pregnancy was significantly higher in low dose of hCG plus GnRH agonist (p=0. 03). However، no differences were observed between two groups in terms of clinical pregnancy (p=0. 07). Using low dose hCG plus GnRH agonist can be considered as an appropriate and alternative method instead of standard methods of hCG in ovulation induction with antagonist protocols.