According to the Infertility Network, 1 in 6 couples experience infertility. Thomas W. Hilgers, MD of Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, NE, and Director of Fertility Care Centers of America, states that "most problems related to infertility have an underlying organic and/or hormonal/functional cause. The latter usually results in some type of abnormality in ovulation, while the former creates other difficulties, including obstruction of the fallopian tubes, biochemical disturbances that disrupt fertility, etc.  Some of these causes of infertility include luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome, empty follicle syndrome, immature follicle syndrome, afollicularism, and delayed rupture syndrome." These abnormalities are associated with a variety of causes of abnormal hormone production.*

Bioidentical progesterone is frequently administered to support the uterine lining in the postovulatory phase. It is often used from day 14 of the cycle and is given for 2 weeks, assuming that the menstrual cycle is 28 days and that ovulation occurs on day 14 of that cycle.

Luteal phase support can be provided by compounded progesterone vaginal suppositories or compounded progesterone in oil for intramuscular injection. When  infertility has been associated with a luteal phase defect, pregnancy support is frequently required. Progesterone formulations can be taken by several routes: intramuscular injection, topical, vaginal suppositories, or oral.

There are many indications for progesterone evaluation and supplementation during pregnancy, including previous miscarriages, stillbirth, prematurity, or intrauterine growth retardation. Supplementation also decreases the incidence of postpartum depression.*

Pharmacy Innovations can compound customized forms of progesterone to help your patients that are  struggling with infertility. Please call us for more information on how we can help!

* International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding  Vol 5 No 2 March/April 2001