Flexible versus rigid intrauterine insemination catheters: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively compare pregnancy rates for couples undergoing IUI by a single healthcare provider with random assignment to either rigid (Tomcat; Kendall Sovereign, Mansfield, MA) or flexible (Soft Pass; Cook, Spencer, IN) catheters.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled study.


METHODS
Tertiary care infertility practice.


METHODS
One hundred infertile women enrolled from a single infertility practice who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for IUI were enrolled. Of the 100 patients, 95 underwent ovarian stimulation before IUI: 35 with clomiphene citrate alone, 60 with clomiphene citrate combined with a single dose of gonadotropins.


METHODS
Timed IUI was performed with either rigid (Tomcat) or flexible (Cook) insemination catheters.


METHODS
Pregnancy rate per cycle.


RESULTS
No differences were noted between groups for the following: age, length of infertility, day-3 FSH level, number of prior IUI cycles, total motile sperm count, days of abstinence, infertility diagnoses, insemination ratings, and stimulation protocols. No difference in pregnancy rates was observed between rigid and flexible catheter groups.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no statistically significant difference between flexible and rigid catheters for IUI.
Miller
Paul B
PB
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Center for Women's Medicine, Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, South Carolina 29605, USA. pmiller@ghs.org
Acres
M Lee
ML
Proctor
J Glenn
JG
Higdon
H Lee
HL
Boone
William R
WR
D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D018583:Pliability; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies