According to a clinical trial carried out by Instituto Bernabeu, patients prefer injected progesterone over vaginal medication

The research work has been selected for an oral presentation to be given at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) scientific conference to be held between 2^nd and 5^th July in Geneva.

Patients undergoing treatment in the egg donation programme and patients undergoing frozen embryo transfer need to be administered progesterone. It is necessary for implantation and for the posterior progress of the pregnancy. Drugs can be administered either by means of a daily subcutaneous injection or vaginally over a period of at least three months. Given that this is a significant period of time, Instituto Bernabeu believes that it is key that the female patient feels at ease if she is to have a good quality of life.

The scientific committee at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has selected the research work entitled 'Subcutaneous progesterone for endometrial preparation in substituted cycles for oocyte donation recipients: a randomized controlled trial' carried out by Instituto Bernabeu for an oral presentation at the congress to be held in Switzerland between 2^nd and 5^th July. The event is one of the world's most important gatherings in which the most significant innovations and research in the field of reproductive medicine are presented. The results of the research carried out at random on over one hundred patients who were administered progesterone, will be made public at the event. The drug was administered to one group using daily subcutaneous injections whilst vaginal administration was recommended to the other group. The result was that, following 10 weeks of treatment, subcutaneous injections were valued more favourably than the vaginal option.

"After studying 120 patients, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the percentage of children born. However, comfort levels were greater in the group of patients given the daily subcutaneous injections compared with those prescribed vaginal administration," concludes the Medical Co-Director at Instituto Bernabeu, Ll. Aparicio. Dr Ll. Aparicio was responsible for the research, along with gynaecologists, Belén Moliner and Lydia Luque; biologist, Eva García; the Director of the Reproduction Biology Operation Unit, Jorge Ten; and the Medical Director of Instituto Bernabeu, Rafael Bernabeu.

The research, which will be presented by the reproductive medicine clinic at ESHRE, opens up the options for personalising the ways in which progesterone is administered. The aim is to improve patients' quality of life.

Subcutaneous progesterone for endometrial preparation in substituted cycles for oocyte donation recipients: a randomized controlled trial. J. Ll. Aparicio, E.M. Garcia-Hernandez, B. Moliner, L. Luque, J. Ten, R. Bernabeu. Oral presentation