Progesterone is needed to maintain early pregnancy, and progesterone supplementation in assisted reproduction technology (ART) cycles is a well-accepted procedure (Shapiro et al., 2014; Holmdahl et al., 1971; van der Linden et al. 2015). Luteal phase deficiency affects women undergoing ART for many reasons. The most widely accepted theory posits that luteal phase deficiency originates from premature negative feedback on LH secretion in the pituitary caused by supra-physiological levels of steroids during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) sustained after oocyte aspiration by multiple corpora lutea (van der Linden et al., 2015; Fatemi 2009).

Progesterone is needed to maintain early pregnancy, and progesterone supplementation in assisted reproduction technology (ART) cycles is a well-accepted procedure (Shapiro et al., 2014; Holmdahl et al., 1971; van der Linden et al. 2015). Luteal phase deficiency affects women undergoing ART for many reasons. The most widely accepted theory posits that luteal phase deficiency originates from premature negative feedback on LH secretion in the pituitary caused by supra-physiological levels of steroids during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) sustained after oocyte aspiration by multiple corpora lutea (van der Linden et al., 2015; Fatemi 2009).