Evaluating The Effective Factors in Pregnancy after Intrauterine Insemination: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in conjunction with intrauterine inseminations (IUI) are commonly used to treat infertile couples. In this study we evaluated the relationship between IUI outcome and special causes of infertility. We also aimed to examine parameters that might predict success following IUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included 994 IUI cycles in 803 couples who referred to the infertility Institute. All statistical analyses were performed by using SPSS program, t tests and chi-square. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to compare the association between dependent and independent variables. Logistic regression was conducted to build a prediction model of the IUI outcome. RESULTS: Overall pregnancy rate per completed cycle (16.5%) and live birth rate per cycle (14.5%). The mean age in the pregnant group was significantly lower than that of the non-pregnant group (P=0.01).There was an association between cause of infertility and clinical pregnancies (P<0.001). Logistic regression identified four significant factors in determining the success of the IUI [menstrual irregularites (OR:2.3, CI:1.6-3.4, P<0.001), duration of infertility (OR:0.8, CI:0.8-0.9, P<0.001), total dose of gonadotropin (OR:1.02, CI:1.003-1.04, P=0.02) and semen volume (OR:1.1, CI:1.008-1.2, P=0.03)] which were the most predictive of IUI success. CONCLUSION: Our study defined prognostic factors for pregnancy in COH+IUI. These variables can be integrated into a mathematical model to predict the chance of pregnancy rate in subsequent COH+IUI cycles.