Effect of piroxicam administration before embryo transfer on IVF outcome: a randomized controlled trial

Two hundred women aged between 28 and 43 years, with infertility from tubal, male, endometriosis or unexplained factor were randomly allocated into treatment (100 patients) and control (100 patients) groups. On the day after oocyte retrieval, each patient began supplementation with progesterone 8% vaginal gel, once daily. The patients in the treatment group received a single oral dose of 10 mg of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug piroxicam 1–2 h before embryo transfer. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in any of the analysed endpoints. The rate of positive β-human chorionic gonadotrophin test per transfer was 37% in the women treated with piroxicam and 47% in controls. The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer and implantation rate were 34% and 19.2% with piroxicam, 38% and 21.9% in controls. The miscarriage rate was 11.8% and 13.2%. No beneficial effect of piroxicam on pregnancy rates was found evaluating either different infertility causes or different ages. This study shows that the administration of a single dose of piroxicam before embryo transfer has no additional effect on pregnancy outcome in patients receiving adequate doses of progesterone for luteal phase supplementation after IVF or ICSI.