Vaginal progesterone as luteal phase support in an IVF/GIFT programme

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Infertility Treatments
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Luteal phase support is crucial for successful implantation in assisted reproductive technologies.
• The efficacy of vaginal progesterone for luteal phase support requires further investigation in diverse IVF/GIFT programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of vaginal progesterone on pregnancy rates in a combined In Vitro Fertilization/Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (IVF/GIFT) program.
• To assess whether luteal phase support with progesterone pessaries improves outcomes compared to no support.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted with 245 women undergoing IVF/GIFT.
• Participants received clomiphene citrate/human menopausal gonadotropin stimulation.
• One group received 100 mg vaginal progesterone pessaries twice daily, while the control group received no luteal support.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pregnancy rates was observed for In Vitro Fertilization/Embryo Transfer (IVF/ET) between the progesterone and control groups (6/58 vs. 10/58).
• A significantly higher pregnancy rate was noted for Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) in the progesterone group compared to the control group (13/34 vs. 5/42; P < 0.05).
• Extra-uterine pregnancies were less frequent in the progesterone group (1/19) compared to the control group (6/15).

Conclusions:

• Vaginal progesterone as luteal phase support demonstrates a significant benefit for pregnancy rates specifically in the GIFT procedure.
• Progesterone supplementation may play a role in reducing the incidence of extra-uterine pregnancies within assisted reproductive technology programs.
• The findings suggest a differential effect of luteal phase support depending on the specific ART technique employed.