Clinical effectiveness of ethinylestradiol-cyproterone acetate and raloxifene combination therapy in polycystic ovary syndrome-associated infertility

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of combining ethinylestradiol-cyproterone acetate (EE-CPA) with raloxifene in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-associated infertility. METHODS: The study included 115 women diagnosed with PCOS-associated infertility, admitted between January 2021 and January 2025. The participants were divided into two groups: 55 women receiving raloxifene monotherapy (control group) and 60 treated with EE-CPA plus raloxifene (observation group). The following were assessed: therapeutic effectiveness, adverse drug reactions (abdominal/pelvic pain, nausea/vomiting, body weight fluctuations, and breast tenderness), metabolic markers (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], fasting serum insulin [FINS], and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), sex hormones (estradiol [E2], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], and luteinizing hormone [LH]), ovarian function (ovarian volume and endometrial thickness), endometrial receptivity (resistance index [RI] and pulsatility index [PI]), and pregnancy outcomes (ovulation, miscarriage, and clinical pregnancy). RESULTS: The combination therapy showed superior outcomes, including enhanced overall effectiveness, increased ovulation and pregnancy rates, and a reduced miscarriage rate (all P>0.05). No significant differences in adverse drug reactions were found between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the observation group showed greater improvements in metabolic markers, FSH, LH, ovarian volume, RI, and PI (all P>0.05). Additionally, E2 levels and endometrial thickness were more significantly enhanced in the observation group compared to the control group (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of EE-CPA and raloxifene is highly effective in managing PCOS-associated infertility, improving therapeutic outcomes without significantly increasing adverse effects. It also leads to notable improvements in metabolism, sex hormones, ovarian function, and endometrial receptivity, ultimately enhancing pregnancy outcomes.