To Compare the Efficacy of Clomid and Letrozole in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Infertility is a worldwide problem which has profound social and emotional implications for the affected individuals. The most common cause of medically treatable infertility is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Anovulation is a major cause of infertility in patients of PCOS. Clomiphene citrate (CC) is known as one of the oldest drugs that has remained the standard choice for ovulation induction in such patients. However, about 15-20% of women do not ovulate on CC and are labelled as CC-resistant group. Another drug Letrozole has been recently introduced and is claimed to be superior to clomiphene citrate in ovulation induction. However, there was controversy in the existing literature and there was no such local published material available which necessitated the present study. The objective of this study was to compare mean number of mature follicle and endometrial thickness in infertile patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome receiving clomiphene citrate and letrozole.

Conclusion: In infertile patients with PCOS, letrozole was associated with significantly higher mean number of mature follicles (2.83±0.79 vs. 2.10±0.71; p=0.000) and mean endometrial thickness (9.17±1.86mm vs. 7.40±1.87mm; p=0.001) as compared to clomiphene citrate and this difference was significant across all age and duration of infertility groups.