The correlation between the pregnancy outcomes and serial progesterone levels in the follicular phase of ICSI cycles

Abstract

Since infertility represents a major physiological and psychological problem to a growing proportion of the population, governments worldwide are investing heavily in assisted reproductive technology (ART) which has led to significant improvements in our understanding of male/female reproductive systems, gamete preservation and gamete manipulation. ART now accounts for 7% of all births in some developed countries. Worldwide, ∼1 million ART treatments are performed each year and over 8 million ART babies have been born worldwide. Progesterone is required for successful conception to prepare the endometrium for blastocyst implantation and pregnancy. During IVF cycles, the endometrium and embryo are exposed to supra-physiological concentrations of estradiol and progesterone during ovarian stimulation, which could influence pregnancy outcomes. This study analysed the correlation between the pregnancy outcomes and serum progesterone level in the follicular phase of ICSI cycles by serial measures of serum progesterone level. The study was performed in assisted reproduction