Applying progesterone via vaginal or oral route?

Hello, I’m in the process towards getting pregnant with donor eggs. I’ve been done the embryo transfer already, with an 8-cell embryo, B+ quality. Doc said it was a super viable embryo, so I look forward to implantation! BTW, my hubby’s seminogram is perfect, everything within the normal range. I’ve been taking progesterone since I started getting ready for the embryo transfer, and I’m still taking it three times a day. It’s quite uncomfortable for me because I work outside the home… Besides I spot a little bit every time I apply it via vaginal route, so I wanted to know if I could switch the route of administration from oral to vaginal route. Cheers!!

Dear Extraterrestrial,

First of all, congratulations, the embryo you have been transferred is a high quality one! Moreover, taking into account that is has been created from donor eggs and a semen sample which values are within those considered to be normal your prognosis is a very hopeful one!

To increase your success rates and the embryo implantation potential you are prescribed hormone medications in order to get your endometrium ready for implantation (endometrial receptivity). Progesterone is one of these hormone medications, as it is recommended for IVF cycles and should be taken in the days prior to the ET, regardless of whether you’re using donor or own eggs.

Progesterone involves some side effects, especially if taken orally. Both if taken orally or applied vaginally, feeling some pain in your ovaries is a very common symptom. However, if you change from vaginal route to oral route, common symptoms may include sleepiness, nausea, vertigo… This is the reason why the first option is applying it via vaginal route, even though it may be more uncomfortable.

You can share this with your doctor as well, and she what is his point of view regarding your suggestion.

I hope I have been able to help,

Regards

Hello Sandra, my name is Candice and with my husband I’ve been trying to conceive since October, 2015. I got pregnant in January, but two days after taking the pregnancy test which BTW was positive my period came… Doc said it was a chemical pregnancy… I went for some hormone testing when I was on my follicular phase and these where the results:

Progesterone 0,4 on average (0.33-1.40)
LH hormone 10,15 (2.10-10.55)
FSH hormone 4.00 (3.78-8.66)
Prolactin 8.00 (3.22-26.6)
Testosterone 0.39 on average (0.00-0.74)

Doctor said my progesterone levels are at the limits of acceptability and may be the reason why I had a chemical pregnancy. His advice was that I should take progesterone supplements to prevent a new one… What do you think? In case you agree, how should I apply it? Thank you.