title: Does cessation of progesterone supplementation during early pregnancy in patients treated with recFSH/GnRH antagonist affect ongoing pregnancy rates? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess whether the cessation of progesterone (P) supplementation during early pregnancy after GnRH antagonist cycles is not inferior to its continuation in terms of pregnancy rates beyond 12 weeks of gestation
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 200 patients, with a positive β-hCG test (followed by a doubling in β-hCG levels 48 h later) after a fixed recombinant FSH (recFSH)/GnRH antagonist protocol for IVF/ICSI and a Day-3 fresh embryo transfer (ET), participated in this randomized controlled study. All patients received luteal support, with 200 mg vaginal P being administered three times daily for 14 days, beginning on the day of ET until the second β-hCG test, 16 days post-ET. In the control group (n = 100) the administration of P was continued until 7 weeks of gestation. In the study group (n = 100), vaginal P was discontinued on the 16th day post-ET RESULTS: The ongoing pregnancy rate beyond 12 weeks, the primary outcome measure, did not differ between the study and control groups (82 versus 73%, P = 0.175; difference 9%, 95% CI: -2.6 to 20.3). There were also no significant differences observed between the study and control group in terms of abortion before or after 7 weeks of gestation [(9 versus 12%, P = 0.645) and (8 versus 10%, P = 0.806), respectively]. The same was true for bleeding episodes (14 versus 19%, P = 0.446).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After recFSH/GnRH antagonist cycles, the withdrawal of P supplementation in early pregnancy, with normally increasing β-hCG levels on the 16th day post-ET, had no significant clinical impact in terms of ongoing pregnancy rates beyond 12 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. mimikyrou@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyrou
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Fatemi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zepiridis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tarlatzis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devroey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone