Efficacy of letrozole versus clomiphene citrate for infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Background: The aim was to compare ovulation induction protocols in anovulatory patients, who make up a significant percentage of infertility patients, and to determine the most appropriate treatment for patients in the clinic based on the findings.Methods: The effectiveness of clomiphene citrate (CC) and letrozole (aromatase inhibitor) in ovulation induction treatments were retrospectively compared in patients who applied for infertility in the last 5 years and were found to be anovulatory. 20 of these patients were being treated with clomiphene citrate, while the 18 were being treated with letrozole.Results: The study included a total of 38 anovulatory infertile patients. The mean age of the patients was found to be 29.3. When the endometrial thicknesses (ET) after the treatment were compared, the first group's mean EC was 6.1, while that of the second group was 9.05. The endometrial thicknesses measured after the treatments were found to be significantly different, which were consistent with other studies in the literature. Post-treatment ovulation responses were similar with 55% in both groups. In the evaluation of pregnancy outcomes, 20% of pregnancy was achieved in the first group and 33% in the second group.Conclusions: The use of letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, may be suggested as an alternative to CC in the ovulation induction protocol in our clinical practice, particularly in obese patients.