Abstract
Superovulation (SO)/Intrauterine insemination (IUI) has been used as a treatment approach
for endometriosis-associated infertility. The existing medical literature regarding
SO in endometriosis patients is composed of heterogeneous studies that differ in terms
of study design, SO protocols, the addition of IUI, and comparison groups. There is
a need for more well-designed studies to further investigate the efficacy of SO in
women with endometriosis-associated infertility. Although in vitro fertilization (IVF)
is most effective and is significantly superior to other treatments in endometriosis
patients, most of the existing studies suggest some benefit of SO/IUI in infertility
patients with early-stage disease. Therefore, SO/IUI is a reasonable early fertility
treatment option for women with endometriosis who desire a short trial of potentially
more cost-effective treatment options prior to pursuing an IVF cycle and those for
whom IVF is not a feasible or desirable option. It appears that gonadotropins are
most effective for SO in this patient population even though more head-to-head comparisons
are needed.
Keywords
endometriosis - superovulation - infertility - ovulation induction - intrauterine
insemination
