Individualized Prolonged Luteal Support After Fresh Embryo Transfer in Women With Low Progesterone

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare live birth rate in a control group versus an interventional group in subjects aged 18 to 37, pregnant after a fresh embryo transfer and with a serum progesterone level below 17 ng/mL on the day of pregnancy test while using vaginal progesterone as a luteal support. . This is the first randomized controlled trial to assess the benefit of prolonged subcutaneous progesterone administration in patients with a positive pregnancy test (Bêta chorionique gonadotropic hormone: β-hCG \>100 IU/L) after fresh transfer and low progesterone level (\<17 ng/mL). Half the participants will be offered a an extension of luteal phase support , by subcutaneous progesterone supplementation for 6 weeks, the other half will have placebo injections. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized design was chosen to prevent selection bias and ensure the comparability of both study arms.

Timeline

Start

2027-03

Primary completion

2029-09

Completion

2030-09

Publications

• Background Eijkemans MJC, Kersten FAM, Lintsen AME, Hunault CC, Bouwmans CAM, Roijen LH, Habbema JDF, Braat DDM. Cost-effectiveness of 'immediate IVF' versus 'delayed IVF': a prospective study. Hum Reprod. 2017 May 1;32(5):999-1008. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dex018.
• Background Aslih N, Ellenbogen A, Shavit T, Michaeli M, Yakobi D, Shalom-Paz E. Can we alter pregnancy outcome by adjusting progesterone treatment at mid-luteal phase: a randomized controlled trial. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2017 Aug;33(8):602-606. doi: 10.1080/09513590.2017.1298742. Epub 2017 Mar 9.
• Background Cedrin-Durnerin I, Bstandig B, Herve F, Wolf J, Uzan M, Hugues J. A comparative study of high fixed-dose and decremental-dose regimens of gonadotropins in a minidose gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist flare protocol for poor responders. Fertil Steril. 2000 May;73(5):1055-6. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(00)00471-4. No abstract available.
• Background Cozzolino M, Hervas I, Ergun Y, Massaro MG, Pellicer N, de Angelis F, Labarta E, Galliano D. Higher serum progesterone level has no negative impact on live birth rate in frozen embryo transfer. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2024 Dec;303:15-21. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.10.011. Epub 2024 Oct 9.
• Background Duport Percier M, Brouillet S, Mollevi C, Duraes M, Anahory T, Ranisavljevic N. Serum progesterone concentration on pregnancy test day might predict ongoing pregnancy after controlled ovarian stimulation and fresh embryo transfer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jun 26;14:1191648. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1191648. eCollection 2023.
• Background Griesinger G. Editorial commentary: is it time to abandon progesterone supplementation of early pregnancy after IVF? Hum Reprod. 2011 May;26(5):1017-9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der013. Epub 2011 Feb 4. No abstract available.
• Background Ioannidis G, Sacks G, Reddy N, Seyani L, Margara R, Lavery S, Trew G. Day 14 maternal serum progesterone levels predict pregnancy outcome in IVF/ICSI treatment cycles: a prospective study. Hum Reprod. 2005 Mar;20(3):741-6. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deh644. Epub 2004 Dec 9.
• Background Kawachiya S, Bodri D, Hirosawa T, Yao Serna J, Kuwahara A, Irahara M. Endogenous progesterone levels could predict reproductive outcome in frozen embryo replacement cycles supplemented with synthetic progestogens: A retrospective cohort study. Reprod Med Biol. 2018 Nov 1;18(1):91-96. doi: 10.1002/rmb2.12254. eCollection 2019 Jan.
• Background Kawwass JF, Kulkarni AD, Hipp HS, Crawford S, Kissin DM, Jamieson DJ. Extremities of body mass index and their association with pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization in the United States. Fertil Steril. 2016 Dec;106(7):1742-1750. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.08.028. Epub 2016 Sep 22.
• Background Levy T, Yairi Y, Bar-Hava I, Shalev J, Orvieto R, Ben-Rafael Z. Pharmacokinetics of the progesterone-containing vaginal tablet and its use in assisted reproduction. Steroids. 2000 Oct-Nov;65(10-11):645-9. doi: 10.1016/s0039-128x(00)00121-5.
• Background Melo P, Chung Y, Pickering O, Price MJ, Fishel S, Khairy M, Kingsland C, Lowe P, Petsas G, Rajkhowa M, Sephton V, Tozer A, Wood S, Labarta E, Wilcox M, Devall A, Gallos I, Coomarasamy A. Serum luteal phase progesterone in women undergoing frozen embryo transfer in assisted conception: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2021 Dec;116(6):1534-1556. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.07.002. Epub 2021 Aug 10.
• Background Petersen JF, Andersen AN, Klein BM, Helmgaard L, Arce JC. Luteal phase progesterone and oestradiol after ovarian stimulation: relation to response and prediction of pregnancy. Reprod Biomed Online. 2018 Apr;36(4):427-434. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2017.12.019. Epub 2018 Jan 17.
• Background Sator M, Radicioni M, Cometti B, Loprete L, Leuratti C, Schmidl D, Garhofer G. Pharmacokinetics and safety profile of a novel progesterone aqueous formulation administered by the s.c. route. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2013 Mar;29(3):205-8. doi: 10.3109/09513590.2012.736560. Epub 2012 Nov 6.
• Background Segal L, Breyzman T, Kol S. Luteal phase support post IVF: individualized early stop. Reprod Biomed Online. 2015 Nov;31(5):633-7. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2015.07.011. Epub 2015 Aug 10.
• Background van der Linden M, Buckingham K, Farquhar C, Kremer JA, Metwally M. Luteal phase support for assisted reproduction cycles. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul 7;2015(7):CD009154. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009154.pub3.

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