Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Establishment of an Embryo Implantation Model In Vitro
Published on: June 21, 2024
Phytoestrogens may improve the pregnancy rate in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles: a prospective,
Vittorio Unfer1, Maria Luisa Casini, Sandro Gerli
1Gynecology Association Unfer Costabile (A.G.UN.CO.), Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, Rome, Italy. vittorio.unfer@lycos.com
Objective:
To compare the effectiveness of i.m. P and i.m. P plus oral phytoestrogens for luteal phase support in patients undergoing IVF-ET cycles.
Design:
Prospective, controlled, randomized trial.
Setting:
University Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Patient(S):
Two hundred thirteen infertile patients undergoing IVF-ET were included in the study. The inclusion criteria were use of a GnRH agonist for pituitary down-regulation and age <40 years. The total number of cycles performed was 274.
Intervention(S):
Patients were assigned to receive either i.m. P (50 mg daily) plus placebo or P (50 mg daily) plus phytoestrogen supplementation (1,500 mg daily) for luteal phase support starting from the evening of oocyte retrieval until either a serum pregnancy test result was negative or embryonic heartbeat was sonographically confirmed.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
The outcomes of IVF-ET were evaluated in both study groups in terms of implantation rate, biochemical pregnancy rate (PR), clinical PR, spontaneous abortion rate, and ongoing pregnancy/delivered rate.
Result(S):
Statistically significant higher values for implantation rate, clinical PR, and ongoing pregnancy/delivered rate were recorded in the patients who received P plus phytoestrogens for luteal phase support in comparison with patients receiving P and placebo.
Conclusion(S):
Although the results of this study encourage the use of phytoestrogens for luteal phase support in patients undergoing IVF-ET program, more studies are necessary to support the hypothesis that phytoestrogens have a beneficial effect in IVF cycles.
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