Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background There are limited and controversial findings concerning ovulation induction using intrauterine and intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection compared to intramuscular hCG alone. The study aimed to examine the impact of intrauterine hCG injection, which is used to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Parvin Hakimi, Mahshid Alborzi, Ehsan Nikkhou, Hosein Azizi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:European Journal of Medical Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-02242-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841559836972548096
author Parvin Hakimi
Mahshid Alborzi
Ehsan Nikkhou
Hosein Azizi
author_facet Parvin Hakimi
Mahshid Alborzi
Ehsan Nikkhou
Hosein Azizi
author_sort Parvin Hakimi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background There are limited and controversial findings concerning ovulation induction using intrauterine and intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection compared to intramuscular hCG alone. The study aimed to examine the impact of intrauterine hCG injection, which is used to induce ovulation, on the efficacy of the intrauterine insemination (IUI) technique in patients with unexplained infertility. Methods A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted involving 80 subjects with unexplained primary infertility at the infertility clinic of Al-Zahra Hospital in northwest Iran. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: control and intervention. Both groups received initial treatment with letrozole and Recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH). After confirmation of at least one follicle measuring 18 mm or larger through ultrasonography, in the control group, two ampoules of 5000 units of hCG were administered intramuscularly. The intervention group received 500 units of hCG diluted in 0.5 cc of normal saline and was injected into the uterine cavity along with the two intramuscular ampoules. Primary outcomes were clinical and chemical pregnancy rates and the secondary outcome was any adverse pregnancy outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of the pregnancy rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding baseline characteristics (p > 0.05). Chemical and clinical pregnancy rates in the control and intervention groups were (32.5 vs. 40%) (32.5% vs. 35%), respectively. In the final analysis after adjusting the potential confounders, intrauterine and intramuscular hCG injection increased the likelihood of chemical pregnancy by 1.39 times AOR = 1.42 (1.31–4.12; p = 0.036), and clinical pregnancy by AOR = 1.25 (1.03–3.74; p = 0.048) compared to intramuscular hCG alone. There were no statistical differences regarding adverse pregnancy outcomes between the study groups (p value > 0.05). Conclusions It seems that ovulation induction through intrauterine and intramuscular hCG injection increased the odds of both chemical and clinical pregnancy rates compared with intramuscular hCG alone. Multicenter clinical trials and meta-analysis studies are needed for decision making in clinical settings.
format Article
id doaj-art-ade5c28136954ff589acfdd9c2e1950f
institution Kabale University
issn 2047-783X
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series European Journal of Medical Research
spelling doaj-art-ade5c28136954ff589acfdd9c2e1950f2025-01-05T12:12:15ZengBMCEuropean Journal of Medical Research2047-783X2024-12-012911810.1186/s40001-024-02242-3Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trialParvin Hakimi0Mahshid Alborzi1Ehsan Nikkhou2Hosein Azizi3Women’s Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Infertility Center, Jahrom University of Medical SciencesWomen’s Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesWomen’s Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background There are limited and controversial findings concerning ovulation induction using intrauterine and intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection compared to intramuscular hCG alone. The study aimed to examine the impact of intrauterine hCG injection, which is used to induce ovulation, on the efficacy of the intrauterine insemination (IUI) technique in patients with unexplained infertility. Methods A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted involving 80 subjects with unexplained primary infertility at the infertility clinic of Al-Zahra Hospital in northwest Iran. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: control and intervention. Both groups received initial treatment with letrozole and Recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH). After confirmation of at least one follicle measuring 18 mm or larger through ultrasonography, in the control group, two ampoules of 5000 units of hCG were administered intramuscularly. The intervention group received 500 units of hCG diluted in 0.5 cc of normal saline and was injected into the uterine cavity along with the two intramuscular ampoules. Primary outcomes were clinical and chemical pregnancy rates and the secondary outcome was any adverse pregnancy outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of the pregnancy rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding baseline characteristics (p > 0.05). Chemical and clinical pregnancy rates in the control and intervention groups were (32.5 vs. 40%) (32.5% vs. 35%), respectively. In the final analysis after adjusting the potential confounders, intrauterine and intramuscular hCG injection increased the likelihood of chemical pregnancy by 1.39 times AOR = 1.42 (1.31–4.12; p = 0.036), and clinical pregnancy by AOR = 1.25 (1.03–3.74; p = 0.048) compared to intramuscular hCG alone. There were no statistical differences regarding adverse pregnancy outcomes between the study groups (p value > 0.05). Conclusions It seems that ovulation induction through intrauterine and intramuscular hCG injection increased the odds of both chemical and clinical pregnancy rates compared with intramuscular hCG alone. Multicenter clinical trials and meta-analysis studies are needed for decision making in clinical settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-02242-3Chorionic gonadotropinIntrauterine inseminationPregnancyReproductive techniques
spellingShingle Parvin Hakimi
Mahshid Alborzi
Ehsan Nikkhou
Hosein Azizi
Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
European Journal of Medical Research
Chorionic gonadotropin
Intrauterine insemination
Pregnancy
Reproductive techniques
title Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
title_full Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
title_short Efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility: a randomized controlled trial
title_sort efficacy of uterine flushing with human chorionic gonadotropin hcg on pregnancy rates in primary unexplained infertility a randomized controlled trial
topic Chorionic gonadotropin
Intrauterine insemination
Pregnancy
Reproductive techniques
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-02242-3
work_keys_str_mv AT parvinhakimi efficacyofuterineflushingwithhumanchorionicgonadotropinhcgonpregnancyratesinprimaryunexplainedinfertilityarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT mahshidalborzi efficacyofuterineflushingwithhumanchorionicgonadotropinhcgonpregnancyratesinprimaryunexplainedinfertilityarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT ehsannikkhou efficacyofuterineflushingwithhumanchorionicgonadotropinhcgonpregnancyratesinprimaryunexplainedinfertilityarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT hoseinazizi efficacyofuterineflushingwithhumanchorionicgonadotropinhcgonpregnancyratesinprimaryunexplainedinfertilityarandomizedcontrolledtrial