Progesterone IM Patient Instructions – UH Fertility Center | University Hospitals

Questions about Medications or Instructions

If you have questions, please call us at 216-285-5028, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you need assistance over the weekend, call the same number to reach our on-call doctor.

Progesterone 50 mg (1 mL)

Storage: Store at room temperature.

Special Considerations: Injections are to be taken at the same time each day in the morning. Rotate sites daily and always use clean needles and syringes. The site may be red for a couple of hours initially after injection. However, please call the office if any of the following occur: persistent redness, hives, rash, itching at injection site, prolonged pain in hip, leg or buttocks.

Supplies: 3 mL syringe to draw up and inject, 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to draw up, 22 gauge 1½ inch needle to inject, alcohol swabs.

Lidocaine cream application (optional)

1. If using EMLA (Lidocaine) cream, wash your hands, then apply a penny-size amount to the injection site. Do not rub into the skin. Cover with a bandage or Tegaderm and let sit for 1 hour.
2. Remove bandage and wipe away cream.

Progesterone Instructions

1. Wash your hands and work on a clean, dry surface.
2. Clean rubber stopper of progesterone in oil vial with an alcohol swab (clean each time you use vial).
3. Attach an 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to a 3 mL syringe.
4. Pull back the plunger to the 1 mL line. Inject 1 mL of air into the vial. Keep the needle in the vial and turn the vial upside down. Adjust needle position so that the tip of the needle is in the liquid and not the air space. Pull back on the plunger until you have a little more than 1 mL of medication in the syringe. If you have excess medication or air in the syringe, push it back into the vial until you have exactly 1 mL medication in syringe. Pull the needle out of the vial.
5. Remove the 18 gauge needle from syringe and put on the 22 gauge 1 ½ inch needle. You are now ready to inject.

Progesterone Administration

1. Choose an injection site (see image).
2. Clean the area with an alcohol swab and allow to dry.
3. Stretch the injection site with your thumb and index finger. Insert needle into the upper-outer quadrant of the buttock (see image) using a quick dart like motion. The needle must be inserted completely leaving none of the needle exposed. Use slow, steady pressure on the plunger to inject all of the medication.
4. After injection, apply a warm compress to the injection site and massage the area for 5 minutes. This helps with medication absorption and prevents “knots” at the injection site.

Progesterone 75 mg (1.5 mL)

Storage: Store at room temperature.

Special Considerations: Injections are to be taken at the same time each day in the morning. Rotate sites daily and always use clean needles and syringes. The site may be red for a couple of hours initially after injection. However, please call the office if any of the following occur: persistent redness, hives, rash, itching at injection site, prolonged pain in hip, leg or buttocks.

Supplies: 3 mL syringe to draw up and inject, 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to draw up, 22 gauge 1½ inch needle to inject, alcohol swabs.

Lidocaine cream application (optional)

1. If using EMLA (Lidocaine) cream, wash your hands, then apply a penny-size amount to the injection site. Do not rub into the skin. Cover with a bandage or Tegaderm and let sit for 1 hour.
2. Remove bandage and wipe away cream.

Progesterone Instructions

1. Wash your hands and work on a clean, dry surface.
2. Clean rubber stopper of progesterone in oil vial with an alcohol swab (clean each time you use vial).
3. Attach an 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to a 3 mL syringe.
4. Pull back the plunger to the 1.5 mL line. Inject 1.5 mL of air into the vial. Keep the needle in the vial and turn the vial upside down. Adjust needle position so that the tip of the needle is in the liquid and not the air space. Pull back on the plunger until you have a little more than 1.5 mL of medication in the syringe. If you have excess medication or air in the syringe, push it back into the vial until you have exactly 1.5 mL medication in syringe. Pull the needle out of the vial.
5. Remove the 18 gauge needle from syringe and put on the 22 gauge 1 ½ inch needle. You are now ready to inject.

Progesterone Administration

1. Choose an injection site (see image).
2. Clean the area with an alcohol swab and allow to dry.
3. Stretch the injection site with your thumb and index finger. Insert needle into the upper-outer quadrant of the buttock (see image) using a quick dart like motion. The needle must be inserted completely leaving none of the needle exposed. Use slow, steady pressure on the plunger to inject all of the medication.
4. After injection, apply a warm compress to the injection site and massage the area for 5 minutes. This helps with medication absorption and prevents “knots” at the injection site.

Progesterone 100 mg (2 mL)

Storage: Store at room temperature.

Special Considerations: Injections are to be taken at the same time each day in the morning. Rotate sites daily and always use clean needles and syringes. The site may be red for a couple of hours initially after injection. However, please call the office if any of the following occur: persistent redness, hives, rash, itching at injection site, prolonged pain in hip, leg or buttocks.

Supplies: 3 mL syringe to draw up and inject, 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to draw up, 22 gauge 1½ inch needle to inject, alcohol swabs.

Lidocaine cream application (optional)

1. If using EMLA (Lidocaine) cream, wash your hands, then apply a penny-size amount to the injection site. Do not rub into the skin. Cover with a bandage or Tegaderm and let sit for 1 hour.
2. Remove bandage and wipe away cream.

Progesterone Instructions

1. Wash your hands and work on a clean, dry surface.
2. Clean rubber stopper of progesterone in oil vial with an alcohol swab (clean each time you use vial).
3. Attach an 18 gauge 1 ½ inch needle to a 3 mL syringe.
4. Pull back the plunger to the 2 mL line. Inject 2 mL of air into the vial. Keep the needle in the vial and turn the vial upside down. Adjust needle position so that the tip of the needle is in the liquid and not the air space. Pull back on the plunger until you have a little more than 2 mL of medication in the syringe. If you have excess medication or air in the syringe, push it back into the vial until you have exactly 2 mL medication in syringe. Pull the needle out of the vial.
5. Remove the 18 gauge needle from syringe and put on the 22 gauge 1 ½ inch needle. You are now ready to inject.

Progesterone Administration

1. Choose an injection site (see image).
2. Clean the area with an alcohol swab and allow to dry.
3. Stretch the injection site with your thumb and index finger. Insert needle into the upper-outer quadrant of the buttock (see image) using a quick dart like motion. The needle must be inserted completely leaving none of the needle exposed. Use slow, steady pressure on the plunger to inject all of the medication.
4. After injection, apply a warm compress to the injection site and massage the area for 5 minutes. This helps with medication absorption and prevents “knots” at the injection site.