title: The luteal phase after ovarian stimulation.
abstract: Evaluation of the luteal phase after ovarian stimulation presents several difficulties. Until today, it has not been proved that in cycles stimulated with clomiphene citrate/human menopausal gonadotrophins, luteal supplementation with progesterone significantly increases implantation rate. On the contrary, it is accepted that in cycles stimulated with GnRH agonists/gonadotrophins, support of the luteal phase is essential for the achievement of pregnancy. In GnRH antagonist cycles luteal supplementation, although widely practised, is not at present supported by randomized controlled trials. Finally, it appears that the combination of gonadotrophin stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin results in an inadequate luteal phase with or without the use of either agonists or antagonists.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch Speaking Brussels Free University, Belgium. ekolibia@az.vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Efstratios M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kolibianakis
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devroey
mesh_terms: D002996:Clomiphene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D006062:Gonadotropins; D002996:Clomiphene; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone