Evaluation of factors affecting pregnancy success in patients undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) after ovulation induction with folliotropin alfa

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy within one year despite regular and unprotected sexual intercourse and affects approximately 10-15% of couples. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) with ovulation induction is an effective treatment method frequently used in unexplained infertility, minimal endometriosis and mild male factor infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of patients with primary infertility who underwent IUI with Follitropin Alfa. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 194 patients who underwent Follitropin Alfaguided IUI treatment with the diagnosis of primary infertility between 2017 and 2025 at Sakarya University Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic were included. Demographic characteristics, hormonal profiles (AMH, FSH, LH, PRL, TSH, E2, progesterone), body mass index, antral follicle count, spermiogram parameters, smoking and hysterosalpingography (HSG) findings were analysed. Pregnancy success was evaluated by β-hCG test on day 14 after IUI. FINDINGS: Pregnancy was achieved in 61 (31,4%) of a total of 194 cases. There was no significant correlation between pregnancy rate and female age, body mass index and smoking (p>0,05). The duration of infertility was found to be significantly shorter in the group in which pregnancy was achieved (p=0,046). A weak negative significant correlation was observed between HSG findings and pregnancy success (p=0,049). There was no statistically significant difference between laparoscopy and hysteroscopy findings and pregnancy rate. CONCLUSIONS: Duration of infertility is one of the most important parameters affecting pregnancy success in IUI treatment with follitropin alfa. The presence of pathological findings on HSG may adversely affect pregnancy success. However, age, BMI, smoking and hormone levels were not significantly associated with pregnancy. These results emphasise the importance of considering the duration of infertility in patient selection and should be supported by further studies with larger samples. Keywords: Follitropin alfa, hysterosalpingography, infertility, intrauterine insemination, pregnancy success