Endocrinology: Luteal phase oestradiol and progesterone levels are stronger predictors than follicular phase follicle stimulating hormone for the outcome of in-vitro fertilization treatment in women with tubal infertility

Basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a natural cycle,FSH on cycle days 3 and 10 in a domiphene citrate-stimulatedcycle and oestradiol and progesterone area under the curve (AUC)in the luteal phase of the ciomiphene citrate-stimulated cyclewere evaluated as hormonal predictors for the outcome of FVFtreatment in 53 normally cycling women with tubal infertility.The pregnant women had significantly fewer treatment cycles(P < 0.001) and needed fewer ampoules of gonadotrophins (P< 0.001). They also had more oocyte retrievals (P < 0.001),more oocytes per retrieval (P < 0.01), higher fertilizationrate (P < 0.001) and more replaced pre-embryos per replacement(P < 0.01) as compared with non-pregnant women. Significantdifferences were found in FSH concentrations on cycle days 3(P < 0.05) and 10 (P < 0.001) after domiphene citratestimulation and for oestradiol and progesterone AUC in the lutealphase (P < 0.001) between those women who became pregnantand those who did not become pregnant after IVF treatment Lutealoestradiol and progesterone had considerably stronger predictivevalue for the outcome of IVF treatment as compared to basalFSH and domiphene citrate challenge test.