Addition of exogenous estrogens to improve cervical mucus following clomiphene citrate medication. Patient selection

Abstract

Medication with Clomiphene Citrate and its effects on the quality of cervical mucus and the addition of exogenous estrogens in order to suppress abnormal mucus secretion are controversial issues. We have prospectively studied a group of 19 anovulatory women who were treated with clomiphene citrate in order to characterize those patients most likely to respond to the addition of exogenous estrogens. On day 14 of the cycle, 17 beta estradiol and cervical score were measured and 1 mg estradiol benzoate was injected intramuscularly. Cervical scores were below 7 in 12 out of the 19 patients before estradiol benzoate administration. In these patients, 17 beta estradiol rose from 751 +/- 541 to 1321 +/- 648 pg/ml (p less than 0.03), and cervical scores rose from 3.75 +/- 2.1 to 7.1 +/- 3.7 (p less than 0.01), after estradiol benzoate administration. Patients with cervical scores of 8-12 did not improve significantly. In the 12 patients with cervical scores below 7, those (n = 6) with 17 beta estradiol below 600 pg/ml experienced a significant improvement in cervical score, in contrast to those (n = 6) with 17 beta estradiol above 600 pg/ml who had no improvement. The reduction in cervical mucus accomplished with clomiphene citrate can be further improved by adding exogenous estrogens, mainly in patients who have low 17 beta estradiol levels concomitant with low cervical score.