Pregnancies without corpus luteum rescue.

Four beginning pregnancies after cycles with ovarian stimulation are described. Due to a delay of implantation no rescue of the corpus luteum occurred. At first the cycles ended with menstruation, negative serum hCG and normal low serum steroid hormone concentrations. A new stimulation was started and subsequently terminated as soon as the pregnancies were detected. There was no progesterone production in all these four cases during the first 9-13 days of pregnancy. Induced by the renewed stimulation new follicular development was noticed in three patients, followed by ovulation during pregnancy. Two clinical pregnancies were the result, one with good further evolution and delivery, and one aborted at 10 weeks after the first menstrual period. The other two pregnancies ended with preclinical abortions.