Fertility-Progesterone

Does Luteal Progesterone After Ovulation Induction and IUI Improve Fertility?

In an effort to improve success rates with ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI), some doctors and providers routinely prescribe progesterone supplementation to patients that undergo such treatments.  A recent study by Green et al, a systematic review and meta-analysis comprised of 11 randomized controlled trials (with a total of 2.842 patients that underwent a total of 4,065 cycles), was published in the journal Fertility & Sterility and investigated whether or not routine progesterone supplementation in the luteal phase improves pregnancy after ovulation.  The authors of the study found that progesterone luteal phase support/supplementation was beneficial to those who underwent ovulation induction with injectable gonadotropins in conjunction with IUI and that there was one additional live birth for every 11 patients with such a treatment.  Progesterone luteal phase support was not beneficial in those who underwent ovulation induction with clomid or combination clomid/gonadotropin cycles.