A COMPARISON OF EFFECTS OF ADMINISTERING LETREZOL AND CHLOMIPHEN CITRATE ON INFERTILITY TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH POLYSISTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME

Lack of ovulation is usually the reason for fertility problems in women and
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder in women of reproductive age that is
associated with infertility and chronic lack of ovulation. Recent studies proved aromatase inhibitor
letrozole as an ovulation induction agent. Since letrozole is a drug used to stimulate ovulation in
women with PCOS, we aimed to compare the effects of letrozole ovulation induction with clomiphene
citrate success in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Materials & Methods: This controlled clinical trial was carried out by the year 2011 in Kosar
infertility center in Urmia. 220 patients with PCOS at the age of 20-35 submitted and were randomly
divided into: A.clomiphene citrate(cc) and B. letrozole groups. Each group contained 110 patients, that
were respectively treated by 100 mg of clomiphene or 5 mg of letrozole. After then, all the patients
were treated with gonadotropin and HCG and underwent common IUI infertility treating method. The
results were analyzed by SPSS software.
Results: In this study, the mean age of patients was not statistically different in two groups.(26.29±3.9
Vs. 27.28±4.6). Although both endometrial thickness and follicles counts statistically differed between
clomiphene and letrozole (Respectively 2.28 ±1.13 Vs.1.83 ±0.88 for follicles counts and 7.3± 1.2 Vs.
8.7 ±1.18 for endometrial thickness, both P values=0.001) the difference between rates of pregnancies
was not statistically significant between two groups (Respectively 18/2% Vs. 27/3% , P=0.1).
Conclusion: The occurrence of pregnancy in patients who received letrozole was higher but not
significant and at the same time the probability of multiple pregnancies was lower than clomiphene
receivers. Therefore, in infertile patients PCOS letrozole can be offered as an effective first-line
alternate option for Clomiphene citrate.