Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

PROGESTERONE AND PREGNANCY

PROGESTERONE AND PREGNANCY

Progesterone is an important part of infertility treatment, with fertility specialists often prescribing progesterone supplements to help improve IVF pregnancy rates. So why is progesterone supplementation used and can it also help with natural conception rates?

What is progesterone?

Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries. It is first detected in the middle of the menstrual cycle when an egg is released (ovulation). One of the most important functions of progesterone is to prepare the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to allow a fertilized egg (embryo) to implant. If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels decrease and a period follows. If an embryo implants in the lining of the uterus, the resulting conception produces the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which in turn directs the ovaries to produce progesterone until eight weeks into pregnancy. After this time, progesterone is produced by the placenta for the rest of the pregnancy.

Do I need progesterone if I'm trying to conceive naturally?

There is no evidence to suggest that progesterone supplementation in otherwise healthy women in early pregnancy has additional benefits or reduces the risk of spontaneous abortion. A recent randomized trial also found no benefit from progesterone supplementation in a group of women with recurrent miscarriages. However, despite this, there may still be some benefit to this approach in individual cases, always after discussion with your doctor in light of your own particular circumstance.

Why is progesterone prescribed during IVF treatment?

During an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle, drugs are usually used to prevent the early release of an egg (premature ovulation). These drugs affect progesterone levels. Therefore, the fertility specialist may prescribe a progesterone supplement to compensate for this decrease in the ability of the ovaries to produce progesterone. In this way, an embryo can implant and develop inside the uterus. Many scientific studies have looked at pregnancy rates in IVF cycles that used progesterone. These studies have shown that the rates are much higher compared to cycles where no progesterone was used.

When and how should I take progesterone?

Fertility specialists usually prescribe progesterone supplementation a few days after egg collection. Progesterone supplements generally come in the form of a vaginal suppository or intramuscular injection. While both the suppository and injection methods appear to be equally effective, vaginal preparations are preferred by most women and fertility specialists. Alternatively, luteal phase support with intermittent or multiple hCG injections can be used to stimulate the ovaries to produce progesterone. This is not recommended if more than ten follicles are found on ultrasound, as this can cause an ovarian cyst or ovarian hyperstimulation (OHSS). For women undergoing IVF, progesterone supplementation can be safely withdrawn at the time of a positive pregnancy test (hCG), as the body regains its ability to secrete progesterone at this stage.

Are there any risks of taking progesterone?

Many studies have been conducted to examine the use of natural progesterone during IVF treatment. These studies have shown that progesterone poses no risk to you or your baby. Although, for some women, vaginal preparations can cause discharge and local irritation. If you have any questions about taking progesterone and the options available, contact the Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine – Dr. Alexander Trajan for a consultation. For information call the phone ☎️(+30) 2310 277 032 or send a message to 📧email alexandrostraianos@gmail.com.

Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

Effective doctor-patient communication is vital to providing high-quality health care. Any communication regarding your medical profile (getting results, instructions, answering questions, concerns) will be done directly with the doctor. This means no midwife or secretary will interrupt your conversations. Instead, if you call with any concerns, they will be there right away to address your needs. Contact us by calling 694 649 8771 or by completing the relevant Contact Form.

Dr. Alexandros Traianos

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FREQUENT QUESTIONS

The association of IVF drugs with cancer risk is a major concern for women enrolled in these programs. But the plethora of bibliographic reports collected from credible scientific studies and published in reputable medical journals worldwide are reassuring and do not confirm this concern.

Of course not. In about a third of cases, infertility is due to the woman (female factor), while in a third of cases, it is due to the man (male factor). The remaining one-third is due to both (both men and women) or even to unknown factors.

The quantity and quality of a man's sperm can be affected by his health and lifestyle. Some factors that can reduce the quantity and / or quality of sperm are:

  • the alcohol
  • drugs
  • environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
  • smoking
  • health problems
  • medicines
  • radiotherapy and chemotherapy
  • the age

Success rates vary at each IVF Center. Very important factors are also the age of the woman, the levels of her hormones and of course the sperm of the husband. Rates generally range from 45% or slightly higher for women up to 35 years old.

Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year (or 6 months, if it is a woman over 35) with normal, regular sexual intercourse. In other words, when a year passes without the woman becoming pregnant, the couple should consult their doctor to determine the cause of the pregnancy and then treat it. We must all, however, be aware and not forget that the age factor is the most critical for female fertility and that the individualized approach of each couple is the "golden key" that solves the problem.

The number of treatment cycles a woman can undergo is not specified. It is certain that in our country there are high level obstetricians-gynecologists and organized infertility treatment centers, which offer impeccable medical services at this level. If there are correct indications (eg ovaries that respond to stimulation therapy, good quality endometrium, etc.) the success rate -especially with the use of newer techniques and biotechnological drugs, which show increased bioactivity compared to conventional drugs from urine- totals approximately 65%-70% after 4 cycles of treatment.

At the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Dr. Traianos we offer egg / sperm cryopreservation services for those who have a personal or medical reason and need this service. We use the most modern vitrification technique in the freezing of sperm and eggs.

The collection of eggs takes 10-15 minutes, it is not painful, it is done under intoxication and after the end of the process you return to your activities.

In general, experts agree that the fact that a couple has already had a child can be considered evidence that there is no infertility problem in the first place. It is like a small test that has been done and proves that they "succeeded" at least once. On the other hand, we need to know that in the meantime things may have changed and a problem may have arisen (eg the man may have had some inflammation that affects the quality of his sperm or has mediated something that affects female fertility: an inflammation, a gynecological surgery, an abortion, etc.). In any case, if a reasonable period of time (one year) passes and a couple can not achieve a pregnancy, then he should with the help of his doctor investigate if there has been a problem that causes infertility.