Intramuscular versus vaginal administration of progesterone for luteal phase support after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. A comparative randomized study
- Resource Type
- Authors
- A, Abate; M, Perino; F G, Abate; A, Brigandì; L, Costabile; F, Manti
- Source
- Clinical and experimental obstetricsgynecology. 26(3-4)
- Subject
- Adult
Administration, Intravaginal
Estradiol
Pregnancy
Humans
Female
Luteal Phase
Embryo Transfer
Injections, Intramuscular
Pregnancy Maintenance
Progesterone
- Language
- ISSN
- 0390-6663
A total of 156 patients were randomly treated with exogenous natural progesterone (intramuscularly, 50 mg/day) and vaginal gel (90 mg/day) P or nothing (Controls) from the day before embryo transfer (ET) for two weeks. In case of positive beta-HCG, the treatment was continued for 12 weeks. Plasma P and 17 beta-Estradiol concentrations were estimated and compared with the control not supplemented group. Both treatments were able to increase significantly the luteal plasmatic values of P versus controls. The ongoing pregnancy and the living birth rates per transfer were significantly higher in the patients supplemented with intramuscular P than in those treated with vaginal gel P. The intramuscular natural P appears the most suitable route of administration for luteal phase support in IVF-ET procedures.