In This Article:
Progesterone
Progesterone Infertility Treatments
Types of Progesterone
Triggering Menstruation
Menstruation is triggered at the beginning of a treatment cycle for anovulatory women with infrequent periods . Progesterone dosing vascularizes the lining of the uterus; when this ceases, progesterone levels drop off. As the uterine lining breaks down, menstruation begins.
Luteal Phase Supplementation
In an effort to bump up the progesterone already produced by the corpus luteum, luteal phase supplementation patients begin progesterone after ovulation. While this can sometimes be done for the sake of ‘insurance’, in other situations, such as when the corpus luteum isn’t functioning correctly, a lack of supplementation can prevent a successful pregnancy by bringing the luteal phase to a premature end.
Patients often do not produce progesterone in most medicated frozen embryo transfer protocols, meaning that in both the luteal phase and in early pregnancy, a complete progesterone supplementation will be necessary.
Keep in mind that progesterone has its limitations: It alone can not correct shortened luteal phases, especially when caused by poor oocyte development in the follicular phase.
