Tamoxifen Is Comparable to Clomiphene in Inducing Ovulation

Although the selective estrogen-receptor modulators tamoxifen citrate and clomiphene citrate are used for different clinical indications -- to prevent breast cancer recurrence and to induce ovulation, respectively -- tamoxifen has also been proven effective for ovulation induction. These U.S. investigators compared the efficacy of these drugs in stimulating ovulation in anovulatory infertile women.

A total of 95 anovulatory women younger than 40 without other causes of infertility were randomized to receive either 50 mg of clomiphene or 20 mg of tamoxifen on days 5 through 9 after the start of a spontaneous or progestin-induced withdrawal bleed. A serum progesterone level of 3 ng/mL or higher was diagnostic of ovulation. Patients who did not…