How safe are progesterone supplements and are they necessary?
Because women undergoing IVF treatment do not usually produce the necessary amount of progesterone after egg retrieval to adequately thicken the uterine lining and prepare the body to support the embryo, supplementary progesterone is commonly given. Without it, the chances of successful implantation and pregnancy are significantly diminished because the cells that would normally produce the progesterone after ovulation tend to be removed during the egg retrieval procedure. Most of us who specialize in infertility and hormonal therapy will use only natural progesterone for patients actively trying to conceive. The most commonly used natural progesterone preparations include: • Progesterone in oil (intramuscular injection) • Crinone or Prochieve (vaginal gel) • Endometrin (vaginal tablets) • Prometrium (oral tablet – may also be used vaginally) Concerns about the safety of progesterone stem from a perceived correlation between synthetic progestins and a slight increase in birth defects.
