Effect of combining estradiol valerate with sildenafil in increasing the thickness of the endometrium in infertile women before intrauterine insemination: a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Therapies available for thin endometrium are limited and are mostly performed experimentally which most of these treatments have a similar function and increase blood flow to the endometrium, causing it to thicken and develop. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of estradiol valerate in combination with sildenafil on endometrial thickness in infertile women before intrauterine insemination. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial 100 infertile women referred to Reyhaneh Infertility Center in Ardabil were randomly divided into two groups. Patients' endometrial thickness was assessed by vaginal ultrasound before treatment and then on day 9 of the cycle. The intervention group received one tablet of estradiol valerate every 12 h from the ninth day of menstruation for 4 days and sildenafil as 25 mg orally daily from day 9 to 12, but in the control group, patients received placebo tablets orally in addition to estradiol. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups before and after the intervention in term of endometrial thickness. The rate of increase in endometrial thickness was 1.35 mm in the intervention group and 1.37 mm in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Estradiol valerate alone or in combination with sildenafil resulted in a significant increase in endometrial thickness and increasing oral sildenafil supplementation with oral estradiol valerate had no significant effect on increasing endometrial thickness.