EFFICACY OF LETROZOLE VERSUS CLOMIPHENE CITRATE IN ANOVULATORY INFERTILITY

Background: anovulatory dysfunction is a common problem and is responsible for about 40% of female infertility. polycystic ovarian syndrome remains one of its leading causes. this trial was done to see the efficacy of letrozole and clomiphene citrate in anovulatory infertility. material & methods: this randomized controlled trial was conducted at obstetrics & gynaecology unit, bahawal victoria hospital, bahawalpur, from january 2012 to june 2014. a total of 212 patients of age 20 to 38 years with anovulatory infertility were included in the study. patients with other causes of infertility, history of previous genital tract surgery and drugs likely to interfere with ovulation were excluded. these patients were placed randomly into group a (clomiphene citrate) and group b (letrozole), by using lottery method. outcome variables like efficacy i.e. occurrence of pregnancy, were noted. results: the mean age of women in group a was 26.67±4.23 and in group b 26.24±4.18 years. the mean duration since marriage in group a was 4.06±1.95 years and in group b 4.26±2.12 years. efficacy of clomiphene citrate was 10.38% while that of letrozole was 21.70% (p=0.02). conclusion: letrozole is more effective than clomiphene citrate in the treatment of anovulatory infertility