The optimal route of progesterone administration for luteal phase support in a frozen embryo transfer: a systematic review

Objective

To investigate the optimal route of progesterone administration for luteal phase support in a frozen embryo transfer.

Design

Systematic review.

Patients

Women undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Interventions

We conducted an extensive database search of Medline (PubMed), Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Trials Register using relevant keywords and their combinations to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the routes (i.e., oral, vaginal, intramuscular) of progesterone administration for luteal phase support (LPS) in artificial FET.

Main outcome measures

Clinical pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage.

Results

Four RCTs with 3245 participants undergoing artificial endometrial preparation (EP) cycles during FET were found to be eligible. Four trials compared vaginal progesterone with intramuscular progesterone and two trials compared vaginal progesterone with oral progesterone. One study favored of vaginal versus oral progesterone for clinical pregnancy rates (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22–0.92) and other study favored intramuscular versus vaginal progesterone for clinical pregnancy rates (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.21–1.76) and live birth rates (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.28–2.05). Tabulation of overall evidence strength assessment showed low-quality evidence on the basis that for each outcome-comparison pair, there were deficiencies in either directness of outcome measurement or study quality.

Conclusion

There was little consensus and evidence was heterogeneous on the optimal route of administration of progesterone for LPS during FET in artificial EP cycles. This warrants more trials, indirect comparisons, and network meta-analyses.

PROPERO No

CRD42021251017.

Other Information

Published in: Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06674-2