title: Combined progesterone (IM + V) versus vaginal progesterone for luteal support in cleavage-stage embryo transfer cycles of good prognosis patients.
abstract: Many reports led to the consensus on the use of progesterone (P) for luteal-phase support. Vaginal P application is the method of choice due to its simplicity and high patient convenience but is hampered by application difficulties and personal or cultural aversions. Inappropriate vaginal P use may alter successful implantation, leading physicians to consider alternate P application routes. A worldwide survey revealed that intramuscular plus vaginal P (combined P) is the method used in nearly one-third of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, particularly in Asia and North America; unfortunately, the outcomes of this approach have not been clearly elucidated. In the current analysis, we evaluated any additional benefit of short course parenteral P in addition to vaginal P capsules during a specific period in terms of implantation, pregnancy rates, miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies in cleavage stage embryo transfer (ET) cycles of good-prognosis patients. Despite significantly higher implantation rates in the combined arm, clinical and ongoing pregnancies were comparable in both groups, whereas a trend toward increased pregnancy rates was observed with combined support. The available data are too limited to draw conclusions.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Ufuk University School of Medicine , Ankara , Turkey .
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Pabuccu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Ufuk University School of Medicine , Ankara , Turkey .|b Centrum Clinic Women Health and IVF Centre , Ankara , Turkey .
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pabuccu
authors.affiliation: c Zekai Tahir Burak Woman's Health, Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey , and.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Evliyaoglu Ozdegirmenci
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Ufuk University School of Medicine , Ankara , Turkey .
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bostancı Durmus
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Ankara University School of Medicine , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keskin
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Antagonist; ICSI; implantation; luteal phase; progesterone