24-h echographic profile study on follicular growth prior to laparoscopic aspiration of the graafian follicle in clomiphene citrate/human chorionic gonadotrophin-stimulated cycles.

Follicular growth in the last 24 h preceding laparoscopic oocyte pick-up for in vitro fertilization purposes was studied in 46 clomiphene citrate/human chorionic gonadotrophin-stimulated cycles by means of real-time sector ultrasound. A linear increase in mean follicular diameter of 2.5 mm was established. Growth rates under monofollicular and multifollicular conditions did not differ significantly. However, the absolute dimensions of the dominant follicle in the multifollicular subgroup exceeded those observed in the monofollicular subgroup (P less than 0.01) for each observation point. A fixed CC/hCG treatment scheme results in a wide range of ultimate preovulatory follicular dimensions, without any correlation between the individual follicular size and growth rate values (r = 0.075).