title: Luteal estrogen supplementation in stimulated cycles may improve the pregnancy rate in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of estradiol addition to progesterone supplementation during the luteal phase on pregnancy and implantation rates in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized study, carried out in an IVF unit of a university hospital, we studied patients who were undergoing IVF/ICSI with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist/human recombinant gonadotropin long protocol. The main outcome measures were the pregnancy and implantation rates measured in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results suggest higher pregnancy and implantation rates in IVF/ICSI-ET cycles that were supplemented with estradiol in the luteal phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estradiol supplementation during the luteal phase in women undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET has a beneficial effect on the outcome without (at least, as seems from this study) having any adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF Unit, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drakakis
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loutradis
authors.forename: Eleftheria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vomvolaki
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stefanidis
authors.forename: Erasmia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kiapekou
authors.forename: Elli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anagnostou
authors.forename: Kiki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anastasiadou
authors.forename: Spiros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milingos
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008183:Luteal Phase; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol