A prospective study on the endometrium properties and the pregnancy rate of infertile women with thin endometrium receiving Fructus ligustri lucidi used in traditional Chinese medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Zi Gui Nv Zhen capsules (ZGNZC) can increase the fertility rate of Chinese women with infertility due to thin endometrium.

METHODS: Prospective, randomized, open-labeled 3-monthly study; 104 patients (aged 20-40 years) receiving either ZGNZC (experimental group, n  = 55) or not (control group, n  = 49). Main outcomes: thickness/type of the endometrium during ovulation and pregnancy rate. Between-group analysis (A) compares the experimental vs. control group, and within-group analysis (B) compares data at baseline and after study in the experimental group.

RESULTS: (A) Between-group-analysis: Patients with ZGNZC had a higher endometrium thickness (0.8 ± 0.27 vs. 0.68 ± 0.10; p  < .05) and higher type A endometrium rates (34.2% vs. 13.2%; p  < .05) than the control group. Pregnancy rates were higher in the experimental than in the control group (43.6% vs. 22.4%; p  < .05). (B) Within-group-analysis: ZGNZC increased endometrium thickness (0.58 ± 0.13 vs. 0.87 ± 0.24 vs. 0.83 ± 0.26 vs. 0.80 ± 0.27), and type A endometrium rates (10.9% vs. 60.0% vs. 49.0% vs. 34.2%) (all p  < .05). Univariate analysis of pregnancy with other study parameters showed positive and significant correlations between pregnancy and administration of ZGNZC ( p  < .05). All hepato-renal biomarkers remained within the norm. There were no adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS: In infertile women with thin endometrium who wish to conceive, two months' application of ZGNZC can improve endometrial properties and proliferation, which is necessary for a healthy pregnancy, and increase the clinical pregnancy rate in our prospective randomized observational study.