Objective: To compare the delivery rate with IVF or ICSI in women who did and did not receive progesterone supplementation in the first 3 weeks after a positive hCG test result.
Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Fertility Clinic, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Patient(s): 200 pregnant women who did not receive progesterone (intervention group) and 200 pregnant women who received progesterone for 3 weeks after a positive hCG result.
Intervention(s): In the study group, vaginal progesterone therapy was withdrawn on the day of positive hCG result. In the control group, treatment with progesterone, 600 mg/d, was continued for 3 weeks after a positive hCG result. Both groups received 600 mg of progesterone starting on the day of embryo replacement until testing positive for pregnancy 14 days after embryo transfer.
Main outcome measures: Delivery rate.
Result(s): The number of deliveries was 126 in the study group and 128 in the control group.
Conclusion(s): The delivery rate was the same in pregnant women who received and those who did not receive progesterone for 3 weeks after a positive hCG result. Progesterone supplementation for more than 2 weeks after embryo transfer may therefore yield no benefit in terms of pregnancy.