Comparison of urinary and recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin during ovulation induction in intrauterine insemination cycles: a prospective randomized clinical trial

Objectives: To compare the in vivo effectiveness of recombinant (r) hCG with urinary (u) hCG during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination (COH-IUI) cycles. Design: Prospective controlled clinical study. Setting: Private IVF center. Patient(s): Two hundred eighty-four subjects undergoing COH-IUI cycles. Interventions(s): Women were randomized into receiving r-hCG or u-hCG for final maturation and induction of ovulation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Clinical pregnancy rate and outcome of pregnancy. Result(S): Background characteristics were similar in the two groups studied except for a slight difference in the mean duration of infertility (3.0 vs. 2.3). There was no significant difference in the number of follicles >= 16 mm, mean peak E-2, or mean 1-week P levels between the two groups. The clinical pregnancy rate was 27.1% in the recombinant group compared with 28.5% in the urinary group. The outcome of pregnancy was similar in both groups. Conclusion(s): Recombinant hCG was found to be as effective as u-hCG in achieving pregnancy during COH-IUI cycles. This is in agreement with earlier studies on the effectiveness of r-hCG in IVF cycles.