Progesterone elevation on the day of oocyte retrieval and live birth rate after in vitro fertilisation treatment

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate if progesterone elevation (PE) on the day of oocyte retrieval is associated with IVF outcome. A prospective cohort study of 400 IVF-ICSI cycles, with fresh embryo transfer on day 2–3 was performed. We proposed a serum progesterone (P) level on percentile (p) 90 as a threshold.

Pregnancy rates were not affected, however there were more miscarriages (25.7% vs 43.8%) and lower live birth rate (LBR) (28% vs 23.1%) in the PE group (not statistically significant). We also found a positive correlation between P levels and retrieved and mature oocytes, total embryos, and good quality embryos. This is the first study to analyse LBR based on P levels on the day of oocyte retrieval. PE is not associated with the IVF outcome, but there is a trend to lower ongoing pregnancy rate and LBR and more miscarriages. Our results also show that P levels have no negative effects on oocyte and embryo quality.

Impact statement

• What is already known on this subject? The influence of PE during IVF cycle on pregnancy rates remains controversial.

• What do the results of this study add? This is the first study to analyse LBR based on P levels on the day of oocyte retrieval.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We demonstrated that pregnancy rates were not affected by PE at oocyte retrieval, but there is a trend to lower ongoing pregnancy rate and LBR and more miscarriages. Randomised controlled trials are needed to offer more evidence of these relationships.

Keywords:

• Birth rate
• in vitro fertilisation
• oocyte retrieval
• pregnancy outcome
• progesterone

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).