WFWW-Progesterone Options for IVF

WFWW-Progesterone Options for IVF


If you ask women who have gone through an IVF cycle which the part they consider as the most difficult, it would likely be the progesterone injections. Traditionally progesterone in oil has been used and consists of deep intramuscular injections of an oily substance. Since IVF became a clinical treatment thirty years ago, we have been searching for an effective, more acceptable alternative. As you may be aware Reproductive Partners in Los Angeles and Orange counties currently has an ongoing study comparing an FDA approved vaginal medication with a new subcutaneous, easier injection.
One of our sister Integramed practices has just reported in the journal Fertility & Sterility results of a study comparing intramuscular progesterone with a variety of vaginal preparations. Among patients using vaginal progesterone, there were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between the vaginal and IM progesterone treatment groups. There was a 50.0% pregnancy rate among patients treated with vaginal progesterone and a 51.5% rate among matched IM progesterone patients. The live birth rates were 47% in the IM versus 47.5% in the vaginal progesterone groups. There were no statistically significant differences in miscarriage rates between groups.
Our current study goes one step further by comparing the only vaginal progesterone approved by the FDA for pregnancy support, Endometrin, with a new easy subcutaneous injection. If you meet the inclusion criteria you can still join the study and be eligible for free progesterone medication and an honorarium. For more information, call your nearest Reproductive Partners office or (877) 273-7763.

Reproductive Partners Participates in New IVF Progesterone Delivery System Study

Southern California fertility center participates in a national study to explore new IVF progesterone delivery systems replacing intramuscular injections.

Los Angeles, CA January 2009 - Reproductive Partners Medical Group a leading Southern California fertility center esteemed for their excellent IVF success rates and national reputation was recently selected as a participant in a national, multi-center study exploring new progesterone delivery systems to replace intramuscular injections. Patients going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) often describe the progesterone injections as the most difficult and painful part of the IVF cycle. For more than 30 years doctors have been seeking effective alternatives to these painful injections.

The study compares an FDA-approved vaginal progesterone, Endometrin, with a new formulation which is administered subcutaneously, similar to the relatively painless fertility drug injections. Patients will be randomized to receive either the vaginal or subcutaneous progesterone until the pregnancy test and then until about 10 weeks of pregnancy. In case of unacceptable side effects the patient will be offered an alternative medication. Side effects are usually local reactions and mild.

Benefits to patients include free progesterone medications as well as a $1,500 honorarium for participating and completing the study questionnaires.

Participating patients will be IVF candidates, including those undergoing ICSI, Blastocyst and PGD, who are age 18-42 who have had less than three prior IVF cycles and an FSH less than 15IU/L and estradiol less than 80 pg/mL. Other exclusion criteria exist.

For more information, please visit www.reproductivepartners.com or call Reproductive Partners Medical Group at (877) 273-7763.