title: Subcutaneous human menopausal gonadotropin administration for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with intrauterine insemination cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of administering human menopausal gonadotropin subcutaneously for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with intrauterine insemination.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective nonrandomized matched-group comparison. Study patients (n = 25) undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with intrauterine insemination infertility treatment between June 1998 and March 1999 self-administered human menopausal gonadotropin subcutaneously for ovulation induction. Cycles (n = 39) were analyzed for duration of human menopausal gonadotropin treatment, total number of ampules of human menopausal gonadotropin used, peak serum estradiol level, number of mature follicles (> or =15 mm), cycle fecundity, and acceptability of the subcutaneous route of human menopausal gonadotropin administration. Age-matched historical control subjects who followed the same protocol except for the route of human menopausal gonadotropin administration, which was instead intramuscular, were used for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study and control cycles did not differ with respect to duration of human menopausal gonadotropin treatment (7.49 vs 8.18 d), total number of ampules of human menopausal gonadotropin used (17.44 vs 19.55), peak serum estradiol level (881 vs 769 pg/mL), number of mature follicles (>/=15 mm; 3.39 vs 2.92), or cycle fecundity rate (15.4% vs 17.9%). Two study patients were switched from subcutaneous to intramuscular administration because of minor local injection site reactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous human menopausal gonadotropin administration for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with intrauterine insemination treatment cycles was generally well tolerated and yielded stimulation parameters and pregnancy rates similar to those associated with the intramuscular route. Patients subjectively preferred subcutaneous human menopausal gonadotropin administration because of the ability to self-administer the injections, the use of a smaller injection needle, and reduced muscular pain at the injection site.
authors.affiliation: Women's Care Fertility Center, Eugene, OR 97401, USA.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007317:Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000503:physiopathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins