Progesterone support after ET

[Thomasina76]

Just been given my protocol for my first IVF cycle next month and surprised at how much progesterone you have to take and for how long. I asked the nurse and she said that, unlike a natural cycle, with IVF you don't ovulate and so there is no corpus luteum which is what gives off the progesterone, which makes sense. If you do get pregnant though, does your body not start making its own progesterone? Not clear why you need such massive amounts for so long. I know it must help but is it so critical? Do all clinics do this?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Most advise 800 - 400 am and pm daily till 12w

What were you told?

[Thomasina76]

Not sure about the dosages but seems to have been prescribed in pretty much all orifices plus an intra-muscular injection 3 x per week. Does the body not produce its own progesterone once you are pregnant?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

SOME DO INJECTIONS

whoops hit caps

some do oral such as progynova,

then pesseries - some vaginal.some anal

they usually say doesnt matter if anal/vaginal for the pesseries

and as your body is shut dwn for ivf, it then cant make the hormones that sex pregancies make, its not till the placenta kicks in at about 12w that yu then stop taking the hormones

ive done 5 ivf and always taken the drugs, tho in 4 cases failed so stopped after 2ww

the 5th, successful whooop :) 39w preg, i carried on till over 14w as weaned myself off them as been on them for past year on and off due to failures

i have only read on one thread about a clinic saying doesnt need them, and from what i rem that lady had a m,c :(

[Thomasina76]

Thanks so much Blondes and congrats on our pregnancy!

I (think) I am doing the short protocol as I wanted to avoid the shut down of ovaries. Obviously you don't actually ovulate even in a short protocol cycle but are your ovaries/system still "shut down" as such? One of the things I am struggling with is how unnatural it seems. I would feel much more comfortable if they worked with your natural cycle but somehow just enhanced it.

[Thomasina76]

"your" pregnancy! LOL!!

[Chrisinthemorning]

I did short protocol and took progesterone until 14 weeks.
DS is now 4.
Good luck!

[bananafish81]

Short protocol is very straightforward
Start stims to get the follicles going
Then you slam on the brakes with Cetrotide to stop premature ovulation
You switch off the pituitary AFTER starting stims, unlike long protocol where you switch the pituitary off before starting stims (down reg)

You want the Dr to have as much control of the cycle as possible to get the optimal results

Progesterone is needed not just because the retrieval disrupts the production of natural progesterone, but also because you need higher doses to oppose the high oestrodial levels produced by ovarian stimulation

[Chattycat78]

This is interesting. I had no progesterone Injections. Only pessaries, which I used til about 6 weeks pregnant from memory. Sounds like I should have had more!

[bananafish81]

Standard just to use pessaries or Crinone

Some clinics like to add in Lubion or Gestone as belt and braces

[bananafish81]

Standard to continue progesterone to 12 weeks by which time the placenta will have taken over entirely