Early Luteal Phase Progesterone Kinetics After hCG-Induced Ovulation in Modified Natural Cycle

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, MONTPELLIER · Jun 11, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how the hormone progesterone changes in the days after ovulation that is triggered by a medication called hCG in women who are having a modified natural cycle before a frozen embryo transfer. Progesterone is important because it helps prepare the womb for a pregnancy to start and grow. By measuring progesterone levels over six days, the researchers hope to better understand if and how this hCG trigger affects the timing of the luteal phase—the part of the cycle when the womb gets ready for implantation of an embryo.

Women who might be eligible for this study are those who have at least one mature follicle (a small sac in the ovary) that is 17 mm or larger, a lining of the womb (endometrium) at least 6 mm thick, and low levels of certain hormones at the beginning of their cycle. They should be planning to have ovulation triggered with hCG as part of their standard care before frozen embryo transfer. Participants will have blood tests taken over six days to check hormone levels. It’s important to know that women currently using progesterone treatments, unable to have frequent blood tests, or who don’t speak French fluently would not be eligible. This study has not started recruiting yet but aims to help improve understanding of hormone patterns that support early pregnancy after fertility treatments.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • At least 1 follicle of 17 mm or more
• • Endometrium of 6 mm or more
• • Plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) less than 2 times basal level (measured at the beginning of the cycle between D1 and D4) and progesteronemia less than 1.5 ng/mL
• • For whom ovulation induction with recombinant hCG (Ovitrelle) is then proposed (standard care).
• • care)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patient whose venous capital contraindicates repeated blood sampling over a short period of time over a short period.
• • Patient treated with exogenous natural progesterone (vaginal or injectable) which may interfere or synthetic progesterone, which may interfere with endogenous progesterone secretion.
• • Patient who has not given written consent to participate in the study.
• • Patient not fluent in French.
• • Patient under guardianship, curators or without social security coverage.
• • Patient participating in another study with an ongoing exclusion period or other interventional research with no ongoing exclusion period involves the use of a drug or procedure capable of altering progesterone levels .