After superovulation-intrauterine insemination fails: the prognosis for treatment by gamete intrafallopian transfer/pronuclear stage transfer

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognosis for gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT)/pronuclear stage transfer (PROST) treatment after prior superovulation-intrauterine insemination (IUI). DESIGN: Matched, retrospective. SETTING: Outpatient university endocrine-infertility program. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty-four women matched for infertility factors and age were studied according to the following three treatment groups: superovulation-IUI only, GIFT/PROST only, or GIFT/PROST after superovulation-IUI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Per cycle and cumulative pregnancy rates (PRs) were compared utilizing life table analysis. RESULTS: Cumulative PRs (0.408) for superovulation-IUI only were lower than initial (0.469) and cumulative (0.802) cycle fecundity of GIFT/PROST (P = 0.002). Per cycle and cumulative PRs did not differ between GIFT/PROST only versus GIFT/PROST after superovulation-IUI. CONCLUSIONS: Gamete intrafallopian transfer/PROST may be cost-effective when compared with superovulation-IUI. The prognosis for GIFT/PROST success is not negatively affected by earlier superovulation-IUI treatment failure.