Letrozole is commonly used for ovulation induction in infertile women with normogonadotropic anovulation and polycystic ovarian syndrome ( PCOS ), yet the role of pretreatment with oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) remains unclear. To address this gap, a study compared follicular development and reproductive outcomes in women receiving a prior cycle of combined oral contraceptives followed by letrozole versus letrozole alone, involving 180 infertile women.
The study showed that antral follicle count (AFC) did not differ significantly between groups; however, women receiving OCP pretreatment followed by letrozole had a higher mean number of follicles >18 mm (3.02 ± 1.28 vs 2.20 ± 1.10), greater endometrial thickness (8.06 ± 2.19 vs 7.40 ± 2.20 mm), and a significantly shorter time to LH surge compared with letrozole alone. Urine pregnancy test (UPT) positivity (12.5% vs 17.28%) and…
