Cyclogest and IVF

[NewhereN]

I am 4 weeks pregnant through IVF and am on 1200mg cyclogest daily (2 x vaginal and 1 x rectal), however I see conflicting ideas on how long after the rectal one a bowel movement is. Some say an hour is safe, some say absorption can take from 1 to 3 hours. I try to have a bowel movement before I do them but couldn’t today, I couldn’t wait longer than 1hr 45mins before a bowel movement and I feel so terrified I could have compromised things. To make things worse, when I insert the vaginal ones sometimes it won’t go as deep as other times. My clinic hasn’t offered a progesterone blood test so I have asked for one. Does anyone have any tips or reassurance? I’m so terrified of compromising this pregnancy because of this 🥺 x

Hey, I didn't get any specific advice about this but read online the progesterone absorbs in an hour or so, so went by that as a rule of thumb! I did them all rectally as found it easier and less messy.

why not ask your clinic to test your progesterone, mine did and I was also on injections, they took a very over cautious approach to levels but it gave me reassurance! I was on those until 14 weeks and am now 21 weeks

My IVF clinic said to me 30 min to 1hr is ok, I specifically called (and got different answers from different nurses)

Rectally I don’t know, but vaginally I was told to pop it in and lay down for 15mins. It was dissolved in that time and then I had discharge with the outside layer in it. I took it until week 16, gradually lowering the dosage from week 14 and now I have a 4month old baby 💕

I also had this worry. I took progesterone rectally (400 mg twice daily) and I think there is a bit of tolerance for the odd-to-soon poop as you’re building it up in your system. But also understand after about 30 mins it has been absorbed. Plus you’re taking it vaginally too. Clinics differ so much in their guidance - mine would have had me off cyclogest at week 8 although I requested to stay on until week 12 (tomorrow!). (I had a Fresh Embryo Transfer so guidance might be different if Frozen.)

Hi @NewhereN I really wouldn't worry. I had a lot of those panics and it was never an issue....1hr and 45 mins should be more than enough. Currently 38 weeks pregnant with my ivf baby xxx

My clinic said for rectally that 1hour is fine! If ever I needed to go to the toilet within that 1 hour they told me to put another one in