Is progesterone given for FETS

[MoonstoneGoddess]

I'm having an FET which will be done few months after collection
I have an issue that I've tried to raise several times with my consultant prior to ivf regarding low progesterone symptoms . Even my day 21 came back under the 30 even tho I had scans, bbt , scan after ovulation that showed corpus. I think I have low progesterone. I hoped during fet it would be given but now I'm wondering is it only given to prepare lining during a fresh transfer.?

In my experience, yes it is. I’ve done both a natural and medicated frozen transfer and have had it in both instances. Cyclogest given as standard, but my clinic tests progesterone on transfer day and then give you extra progesterone via injections if your levels are low - so do ask your clinic about it.

Depends on the policy in your clinic. I ve only had progesterone in fresh cycles, and never in natural FETs (where I didn’t have any medication at all).

I’ve had both fresh and frozen transfers and every time I’ve been given progesterone. As you, I feared low progesterone so insisted on an increased dose this time.
I was on 4 progynova, 2 cyclogest and 1 Lubion per day. Keep pushing if your unhappy.
Good luck.

Hi everyone, can anyone advise in regards to their pessaries they are prescribed, how many times a day are you asked to take these? And are they 200mg? I have been prescribed Utrogestan xxxx

@Floralsandsmiles i was prescribed 2 x 400mg per day (cyclogest) and 1 Lubion injection but I think different clinics ‘norm’ are different to others.
Im on another thread where some women are taking 3 or 4 per day.

Aww OK thank you! Have you been diagnosed with a shortfall with progesterone? Therefore they are extra cautious? Or is what they have prescribed to you standard practice @SH998 ? Xxx

@Floralsandsmiles my clinic has never tested my progesterone throughout the whole process so by using google I’ve self diagnosed myself lol 😂
My reasons are, I’ve always said I’m sure it’s hormonal rather than anything else. Since I’ve come off the pill 7 years ago my periods have been extremely light, literally 1/2 days long with light flow. I did have a prolactin issue to begin with which was picked up due to this reason (that’s now resolved with weekly medication) but my concern was the spotting 1 week leading up to my period every month. No one seemed to think this was an issue apart from me, I’ve googled and this could be caused by low progesterone.

My clinic prescribed 2 progesterone (cyclogest) for the 2 fresh cycles and added 2 estrogen (progynova) to the one frozen cycle (I assume this was their standard).The very first fresh resulted in pregnancy but lost at just under 8 weeks, the scan showed good embryo growth but the sac was extremely small, google showed this could be caused by lack of progesterone.

My 4th transfer I asked for an increased dosage, they agreed immediately and upped the meds to 2 x progesterone (cyclogest), 1 lubion injection and 4 estrogen (progynova) per day which was quite a big increase from their standard. I took a private blood test at about 5/6 weeks which showed my progesterone levels were through the roof.

Now it could just be luck of the draw that this pregnancy stuck on increased meds or it could actually have been the progesterone, I’ll never know this but felt better knowing I pushed and done all I could when I was unsure of something.

Aww this is amazing! Well done you! 👏 I am also part self diagnosis.
I spot up to a week before my period and only have done this year so far. I was told by a gynae this could be age but that could effect my luteal phase. They prescribed me progesterone tablets (Norethisterone) to take from 4dpo for 10 days. I did this for the first time last month and got my BFP. I stopped the Norethisterone straight away when getting the BFP as gynae advised not to take when confirmed pregnancy and I started spotting immediately the next day and then miscarried.
This month I have taken Norethisterone again and just had a bfp on 9dpo. (I made sure to get negatives before early on in this cycle, so there was no lingering hgc hormones from last month).
Now I am due to start ivf when I come on my period in less than a week so have had all the medication sent to me in advance. This includes the progesterone pessaries.
Due to last months and what happened, I need to stop Norethisterone but terrified it will happen again. Therefore as I can't return the ivf meds, was going to use their progesterone pessaries to support this pregnancy, as GP refused to prescribe.
Would you do the same? Am I mad? Xxx

@Floralsandsmiles my clinic have given me a wean off plan for the meds which should have started at week 10, I have about 3 weeks worth of extra meds so am using them before I start the wean off so there’s your answer as to what I would do lol 😂
Im also petrified about stopping so I’m continuing for an extra few weeks, I’m already on the meds and have googled extensively and can see no harm with continuing for an extra few weeks.
All I will say is do your research beforehand and check there’s no harm in what you decide to do.
On the plus side, your body has shown it can get pregnant so that’s a massive positive go forward with.
I learnt something new on each attempt and I’m sure there’s more I could learn about the IVF processes. Your clinic will also know the ins and outs so really push for answers if unsure. My clinic were great with any questions/issues I had, although I did sometimes feel it was a ‘one shoe fits all’ process but pushing for answers really helped with my 4th cycle.
Good luck, you’ve got this 💪🏻😃

Thank you for this @SH998 . As this is a natural pregnancy as I'm yet to start IVf. I don't see any problem with taking what I've paid for and seeing how the pregnancy progresses. If it ends badly, I will start up ivf again and will tell them the findings and they will have to prescribe a different strength or something.(or may try private GP to prescribe, I havent decided yet).
From research and speaking with a GP, there is no harm taking them and they say that after 7/8 weeks placenta should take over anyways. So up to 12 weeks is just a precaution. Progesterone can't save the pregnancy if its not meant to be, just help support it growing, the whole while it is.
So in my opinion I'm giving it the beat chance. Its just hard isn't it as you constantly worry about choices you make, but that's parenthood! Lol xxx

Some of the ladies I’m on a thread with are taking progesterone until 14/16 weeks others were told to stop at OTD so it really does vary per practice.

Some women are prescribed throughout the whole of the pregnancy so I personally can’t see any harm but each to their own.

It is tough to know what’s best to do, a wrong decision made by us could make us blame ourselves for any wrongdoings but from my point of view I feel better knowing I’ve done all I can and am happy with the decisions I’ve made.

Hard decisions made, first step to parenthood lol 😂 xx

Aww OK, well from what I've read, the common time to stop is 12 weeks, to be sure. Lol so I will try to aim for that.
I agree though, I feel like I'm doing all I can and that's the only way I can sleep at night. Knowing I've done everything in my power. 😊 xxxx

@Floralsandsmiles that's exactly how I feel! Do everything you can to ensure your happy and then whatever the outcome you always feel you tried your best :)

Precisely! Well lovely to speak to you @SH998 and I wish you all the best with your journey! Xxx

@Floralsandsmiles likewise :) thank you so much and I wish you all the best on your journey, lets hope its not to long before you get the positive news you want. Take care xx

Thank you so much @SH998 🥰 xxx

@MoonstoneGoddess it depends whether you're doing a natural or medicated FET.

For medicated FET I've been prescribed:

• Oestrogen (4 x 2mg per day)
• Progesterone suppositories (3 x 400mg per day)
• Progesterone injection (1 x 25 mg per day)

As well as scans to check the lining they'll do a progesterone blood test on day of transfer so they can amend meds if necessary.

Good luck! x

I did a natural cycle FET and started on the progesterone about 5 days before the transfer. 3x400mg a day!

It worked for me, even though my levels of progesterone were fine on the bloods I took beofre te FET (to check for ovulation and the LH surge).

I am to take them until 12 weeks (2 more week and then freedom!!!) and I cant wait to stop them! A hope that my cervix isnt short or incompetent, sp that I dont need to take it again, later!
(I hate the damn pessaries! LOL)

Not sure if anyone can’t help, I haven’t been told I need to progesterone , but I have had 5 miscarriages- 3 chemical and 2 missed miscarriages, due to think the fertility nurse said if I want she can prescribe it to me as it’s doesn’t do any harm. I am in the two week wait of my last FET which was with natural cycle, no medication, but she said to contact if I get a positive pregnancy result then I’ll get it? Should I not have been on it a few days before FET? Thanks

@hopefullsosbry there is no "should" here.
Every clinic has its own protocol, even every doctor, in the clinic will have their protocol that will be different from other doctors in the same clinic.

To be clear... Progesterone does not stop miscarriages. 99% of miscarriages happen due to abnormalities in the embryo itself. What progesterone does is help support the pregnancy, which might even lead to the missed miscarriages (the missed part only, not the actual miscarriage).
Progesterone also helps keeps the cervix closed and the sac attached to the uterus.

Many clinics only prescribe progesterone after a BFP, and there is no evidence of that working better or worse than other protocols.

@ASGIRC hi, thanks for the reply, I will just wait and see what happens , xx

@hopefullsosbry , clinics in the Netherlands prescribe progesterone in a fresh cycle only until the test date, and none in the natural FETs. When I asked if it could do any harm to have it “just in case”, they said that it wouldn’t help, and the body needs to work extra to process progesterone and move it out of the body. So it’s not recommended.

@Veluwe thanks you so much for the reply, I am thinking I’ll prob not take it , if I don’t need it then why bother ? Ad you say it can have other side effects. Thanks again :)

Looking for any advise please.. so I am at my test day after 10 days past my 5 day transfer of my 6 day old frozen blast I got put in, got my beta blood test today and get results on Monday, I also got a urine pregnancy test from fertility clinic to do but it came back negative, the 1st response came back with a slight line. (Picture below)

The NHS recurrent miscarriage clinic gave me a prescription of progesterone to take if I get a positive from today .. should I take it as one test says negative and the other says positive ? Have had a very faint line since day 5 past my transfer as you can see in picture (bottom test is the one the clinic gave me) , I fear it’s going to be another chemical. Which I know progesterone won’t help if it’s abnormal chromosomes. I have had no bleeding.

Hope someone can give me sone advice. Thanks

I haven't been told if I'll get progesterone for my fet. I really hope I'll get it as I wasn't given it for my ivf cycle