The reason we need luteal phase support on stim cycles is because of the trigger shot and the fact that the eggs are removed from the follicles before ovulation occurs. This means that the ovary doesn't form a corpus luteum (or 10, or 26 - which I imagine would be bad), so the body doesn't produce its own progesterone at this time.

Because of the OHSS and the fact that we weren't transferring I got to skip the crinone. AF arrived 8 days after EPU, which would have been very bad had we transferred. The crinone basically means the luteal phase will go for long enough after this. Fully medicated cycles need to have the progesterone created in some way as well, so I think it comes in there again.

With mine being a "natural" cycle (as if you can really do natural cycles when you don't ovulate without dugs! ) the body is able to produce the progesterone it needs... The one dose of crinone was (I think) just to soften the cervix and make transfer a bit easier. I didn't have any pain at all, and very little bleeding afterwards, so I guess it did something!

I do recall that I made the comment to the FS that I felt I was stuck in a rather undignified position... funny chair that has pads for your knees to go over and then reclines back and lifts up - bum hanging out in the breeze for all the world to see... The FS made the comment that this was the position that propagates the human race, what could be more dignified than that?! Perhaps if it was just me and DH, fine!

Anyway, I'm babbling... Back to the crinone... I know have it coming out with horrid brownish grey stuff - still feel like I'm stuffed full of sand. Rols, certainly don't expect to be having any action in the bedroom while your wife is on crinone! And while on the sim drugs your ovaries can get very sore, swollen and enlarged so sex can be painful then too. Basically, you can expect to pretty much completely miss out on sex for quite a while once things get underway.

Sorry for the bad news there!

BW