Time schedules of intrauterine insemination after urinary luteinizing hormone surge detection and pregnancy results

Abstract

A urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) test (LH Color®, Organon, Oss, The Netherlands), was used to time intrauterine insemination in 177 cycles. Morning and evening urine samples were tested. In 58 women (33%) the test was positive in the morning urine sample. Fifteen of these patients were inseminated 8–10h thereafter and one patient (6.7%) conceived. The remaining 43 women were inseminated the following day, 25–31 h after LH detection, and seven pregnancies (16.3%) ensued. In 119 cycles showing a positive urinary test in the evening sample, insemination was performed the next day, between 17 and 23 h after the LH surge, and 18 patients (1.5.1%) became pregnant. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in pregnancy rates between the three different schedules, or in the time of insemination between conceptional and non-conceptional cycles within each group. Most ovulations occurred between 16 and 28 h after the positive test was observed. These findings suggest that while the lifespan of the gametes allows a relatively long period for fertilization, from 8 to 31 h after urinary LH surge detection, better results may be expected when inseminating about 24 (± 6) h after the positive test.

Key Words:

• Urinary Luteinizing Hormone Test
• Intrauterine Insemination
• Ovulation Timing