Basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a natural cycle, FSH on cycle days 3 and 10 in a clomiphene citrate-stimulated cycle and oestradiol and progesterone area under the curve (AUC) in the luteal phase of the clomiphene citrate-stimulated cycle were evaluated as hormonal predictors for the outcome of IVF treatment in 53 normally cycling women with tubal infertility. The pregnant women had significantly fewer treatment cycles (P < 0.001) and needed fewer ampoules of gonadotrophins (P < 0.001). They also had more oocyte retrievals (P < 0.001), more oocytes per retrieval (P < 0.01), higher fertilization rate (P < 0.001) and more replaced pre-embryos per replacement (P < 0.01) as compared with non-pregnant women. Significant differences were found in FSH concentrations on cycle days 3 (P < 0.05) and 10 (P < 0.001) after clomiphene citrate stimulation and for oestradiol and progesterone AUC in the luteal phase (P < 0.001) between those women who became pregnant and those who did not become pregnant after IVF treatment. Luteal oestradiol and progesterone had considerably stronger predictive value for the outcome of IVF treatment as compared to basal FSH and clomiphene citrate challenge test.