Do Hormonal Characteristics of the Luteal Phase Affect the Conception Rate of Women Undergoing IUI Treatment in the Following Menstrual Cycle?

Objective: The present study was performed to evaluate whether the hormone profiles of the mid-luteal phase impact on the chances of conceiving during the following menstrual cycle in connection with intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment. Design: Observational clinical study. Setting: Infertility clinic. Patient(s): 92 women underwent a total of 288 IUI treatment cycles, without use of exogenous hormones. Intervention(s): The mid-luteal hormone profiles including levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, oestradiol, progesterone, androstenedione and testosterone, were measured in the preceding cycle of IUI treatment. Main outcome measure(s): The mid-luteal hormone profiles were correlated to whether the women conceived in the following natural menstrual cycle in which IUI treatment was performed and to whether ovulation occurred on the same ovary in two consecutive cycles (ipsilateral ovulation) or jumped from one ovary to the other (contralateral ovulation). Result(s): When ovulation occurred from the same ovary in two consecutive cycles mid-luteal levels of progesterone of the preceeding cycle were significantly lower in conceptional than non-conceptional cycles. No significant differences of LH, FSH, estradiol, androstendione and testosterone were observed when correlating the different parameters. Conclusion(s): Lower mid-luteal progesterone levels seem to enhance chances of conception when ovulation occurs in the same ovary for two consecutive cycles.