Effect of Progestin-Induced Withdrawal Bleed on Ovulation Induction Cycles With Clomiphene Citrate
Status:
Withdrawn
Trial end date:
2015-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can suffer from infertility because they do not
produce an egg each month, resulting in irregular periods. As a result, these women often
need a medication called clomiphene citrate (clomiphene) to induce ovulation. A traditional
'clomiphene protocol' begins with a short course of progestin treatment to bring on a period
(termed a 'withdrawal bleed') before starting the clomiphene medication. Newer evidence,
however, has suggested that this progestin-induced shedding of the uterine lining (i.e.,
withdrawal bleed) may decrease the chances of pregnancy. The purpose of our study is to
determine whether withdrawal bleeding has an impact on pregnancy rates for patients with PCOS
undergoing a clomiphene cycle.
It is hypothesized that patients who undergo ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate
without prior endometrial shedding will have higher clinical pregnancy rates than those who
begin with a progestin-induced withdrawal bleed.