The ultrasonographic detection of follicular rupture at the time of intrauterine insemination: is it really decisive?

Our aim is to assess the impact of the ultrasonographic detection of follicular rupture on the intrauterine insemination success. A total of 313 women undergoing ovarian stimulation for intrauterine insemination were enrolled. Transvaginal ultrasonography was performed to check whether the dominant follicle had ruptured and according to that the patients were divided into two groups. The ultrasound detection of follicular rupture was observed in 156 patients (54%). The independent variables favoring follicular rupture were: Age (t: 7.646, p < 0.0005), FSH value (t: -5.637, p < 0.0005), duration of infertility (t: -4.265, p < 0.0005), menstrual cycle length (t: -4.927, p < 0.0005). Moreover, the logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the predictive variables for follicular rupture were: FSH value (OR 1.7, CI 95% 1.3-2.3, p < 0.0005), duration of infertility (OR 2.6, CI 95% 1.6-4.2, p < 0.0005) and menstrual cycle length (OR 2.4, CI 95% 1.7-3.4, p < 0.0005). Pregnancy occurred in 23 patients of the group A (14.7%) and in 22 patients of the group B (16.5%) without a significant difference (p = 0.6). The logistic regression analysis confirmed that neither the evidence of follicular rupture nor any other variables influenced the pregnancy rate. KEYWORDS: Female infertility; insemination; ovarian follicle; ovulation detection