title: Vaginal micronized progesterone capsule versus vaginal progesterone gel for lutheal support in normoresponder IVF/ICSI-ET cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the outcomes of luteal phase support by micronized progesteron vaginal capsule 600mg/day and progesterone vaginal gel 180mg/day in the normoresponder IVF/ICSI-ET cycles of the patients down-regulated via GnRH agonist long protocol or fixed antagonist protocol below 40 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 463 normoresponder cycles between January 2013 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Those with a BMI>28 kg/m(2), any kind of uterine, ovarian or adnexial pathology, any significant systemic, endocrine or metabolic disease or who were reported as azoospermia, were excluded from the study. The patients were grouped according to the usage of micronized progesterone vaginal capsule 600mg/day (Group 1) or progesterone vaginal gel 180mg/day (Group 2) as luteal phase support. Treatment cycle characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were compared between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group-I included 220 cycles and group 2 included 243 cycles. Although the MII oocyte percentage among the total number of MII oocytes was significantly higher in Group-II (77.5% and 80.2%; p=0.034), positive ß-hCG (32.3% and 21.8%; p=0.015) and clinical pregnancy (27.3% and 17.7%; p=0.018) rates were significantly higher in Group-I. No difference was observed between groups regarding the ongoing pregnancy rates (23.2% and 17.3%; p=0.143).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Micronized progesterone vaginal capsule 600mg daily used for luteal support in the IVF/ICSI-ET cycles was observed to significantly increase the biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates compared to progesterone vaginal gel 180mg daily. However, no difference was observed between two groups regarding ongoing pregnancy rates.
authors.affiliation: Kenan Sofuoglu, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zeynep Kamil Training and Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sofuoglu
authors.affiliation: Ismet Gun, GATA Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gun
authors.affiliation: Sadik Sahin, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zeynep Kamil Training and Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sadik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Okan Ozden, GATA Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozden
authors.affiliation: Oktay Tosun, GATA Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.affiliation: Mustafa Eroglu, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zeynep Kamil Training and Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eroglu
keywords: IVF/ICSI-ET cycles; Luteal Phase Support; Progesterone