Results
A total of 5610 patients who were treated with IUI from January 2012
until December 2017 were included in the study. Despite the fact that
some women received several IUI treatments per fertility cycle, only
data for the first treatment (either single or double insemination) of
each woman was included in the analysis.
The baseline characteristics and hormonal profiles of the patients in
the hCG and spontaneous ovulation group are presented in Table 1. No
significant differences were observed regarding BMI, basal AMH, or
estradiol concentration between patients of the two groups, while slight
differences were detected in age and basal FSH and basal LH
concentrations.
Pregnancy outcomes are shown in Table 2. In crude analysis, compared to
the spontaneous ovulation group, the hCG group had significantly higher
rates of clinical pregnancy (27.40% versus 22.73%, OR (95% CI): 1.28
(1.11–1.49); P =0.001) and live birth rates (24.52% versus
20.13%, OR (95% CI); 1.29 (1.11-1.50); P =0.001). Additionally,
no difference in the rate of miscarriage was observed between the two
groups (10.50% versus 11.46%, OR (95% CI): 0.91(0.60-1.36);P =0.671). Note that the significantly increased clinical
pregnancy and live birth rates of the hCG group were still detected
after adjustment for a number of confounding factors (Table 2).
To assess the effect of intrauterine insemination number on pregnancy
outcomes, a subgroup analysis (single IUI, double IUI) was performed
(Table 3, 4). Among women who received double IUI, there was no
difference between the hCG group and spontaneous ovulation group in the
rates of clinical pregnancy (27.30% VS 25.00%, OR (95% CI): 1.12
(0.88–1.44); P =0.343) or live birth (24.46%VS20.66%, OR (95%
CI): 1.24 (0.96–1.62); P =0.102). However, among single IUI
patients, the hCG group women achieved significantly higher rates of
clinical pregnancy (28.23% versus 21.80%, OR (95% CI): 1.41
(1.09–1.81); P =0.009) and live birth (25.00% versus 19.91%, OR
(95% CI): 1.34 (1.03–1.74); P =0.032).