# Influence of the Postovulatory Progesterone on the Outcome of In Vitro Fertilization

**Authors:** Emina Ejubovic, Miro Kasum, Emir Mahmutbegovic, Jasmin Hodzic, Emina Sacak

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104495 · Cureus · 2026-03-01

## TL;DR

This study examines how postovulatory progesterone levels affect the success of in vitro fertilization procedures.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific progesterone thresholds on day five of the cycle that may predict successful IVF outcomes.

## Key findings

- A progesterone level >425.7 nmol/L on day five is a threshold for successful IVF in all patients.
- Among patients with elevated preovulatory progesterone, a level >384.6 nmol/L on day five indicates successful IVF.

## Abstract

Aim: To investigate the influence of postovulatory progesterone (P4) on the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Materials and methods: This was a prospective cohort study which included 400 patients (300 in the control group and 100 in the group with elevated preovulatory P4 (preovulatory P4 > 4.77 nmol/L) - 85 normal responders and 15 high responders). The influence of postovulatory P4 on the IVF outcome has been investigated in this study.

Results: It was found that the P4 value on the fifth cycle day at a concentration ≤425.7 nmol/L has a high sensitivity (86.21%, 95% CI 81.7-90.0%) and a low specificity (23.64%, 95% CI 16.1-32.7%) in all patients in the study. The obtained results showed that P4 values on day 5 >425,7 nmol/L in all patients, and the P4 on the 5th day >384,6 nmol/L among patients with elevated preovulatory P4 represent a threshold for the successful IVF procedure (positive ultrasound visualization of the gestational sac at six weeks of pregnancy with the presence of fetal heart action after embryo transfer).

Conclusion: The P4 on the fifth day >425,7 nmol/L could be a potential marker for the success of the IVF procedures among all the patients, and with P4 on the fifth day >384,6 nmol/L among patients with elevated preovulatory P4.

## Full-text entities

- **Chemicals:** P4 (MESH:C015586), Progesterone (MESH:D011374)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## References

15 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13038238/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13038238