Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Apr 2009)
Comparison of Tamoxifen and Clomiphene on Ovulation and Pregnancy Rates in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ovulation disorders are a common cause of infertility in women. A common cause of anovulation is polycystic ovarian syndrome. Anti-estrogens agents such as clomiphene citrate and tamoxifen citrate are used as first line treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome patients. About 25% of patients may resistant to clomiphene. The aim of this study was to compare the rates of ovulation and pregnancy between tamoxifen citrate and clomiphene citrate in polycystic ovary patients.METHODS: This randomized controlled trial study was performed on 150 polycystic ovary syndrome patients referred to Fatemeh Zahra infertile center and Mehregan hospital in Babol, Iran during 2005 and 2006. Patients randomly divided into two groups and stimulation with clomiphene and tamoxifen on cycle days 2-6 was done. On first cycle, patients were treated with clomiphene (100 mg) and tamoxifen (40 mg) and on the next cycle because of no ovulation or pregnancy patients underwent clomiphene (150mg) and tamoxifen (60mg). Ovulation and pregnancy rates were compared in two groups.FINDINGS: The rate of ovulation in the tamoxifen 40 mg (TMX) group was 41 of 75 (54.7%) and in the clomiphene citrate 100 mg (CC) group was 40 of 75 (53.3%). The rate of ovulation in the TMX group (60mg) was 60 of 73 (82.2%) and in the CC (150mg) was 44 of 70 (62.9%) (p=0.014). There were 5 pregnancies in the TMX group (6.7%) and 10 pregnancies in the CC group (13.3%) that there was not significant difference between two groups.CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, for increasing ovulation rate and pregnancy in polycystic ovary syndrome patients who were resistant to clomiphene, tamoxifen can be used.
