{"paper_id":"b9d418f7-f96d-4c7a-af13-0e27c25e7c67","body_text":"Addition of estrogen for luteal phase support in women with sub-optimal or poor response after an antagonist protocol: a cohort study\nObjective:\nTo evaluate the potential benefits of estradiol (E2) supplementation as luteal phase support (LPS) on reproductive outcomes in women who exhibited sub-optimal or poor ovarian response after a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol and fresh embryo transfer.\nMethods:\nIn this retrospective study, we assessed the potential benefits of E2 supplementation as LPS on reproductive outcomes in 4992 women who met the following criteria: 1) age <45 years; 2) use of the GnRH-ant protocol; 3) fewer than 10 collected oocytes; and 4) transfer of an embryo in a fresh cycle between January 2018 and April 2023 at Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Based on whether the women received E2 supplementation (2 mg E2 valerate tablets twice daily) as LPS after fresh embryo transfer, they were allocated to two groups: non-E2 supplement and E2 supplement. Propensity score matching (1:1 ratio) was applied using multiple covariates known to influence reproductive outcomes. Primary outcomes were the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.\nResults:\nThe clinical pregnancy rate did not significantly differ between the non-E2 supplement and E2 supplement groups (45.89% vs 45.29%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84–1.11, P = 0.615). Similarly, the live birth rate did not significantly differ between groups (36.14% vs 35.43%, aOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.83–1.10, P = 0.543).\nConclusions:\nOur findings suggest that adding E2 supplementation as LPS in women with a sub-optimal or poor response undergoing the GnRH-ant protocol does not improve the clinical pregnancy rate or live birth rate.","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}