Ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications, or gonadotrophins
There are many routes to conceiving a healthy baby, but for women who have difficulty ovulating, the experts at our Louisiana fertility center have found that ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications can be effective.
What to know about ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications
Unlike clomiphene, which stimulates your pituitary gland to produce follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), injectable fertility medications directly stimulate your ovaries. Injectable medications can be a good option for women who did not respond to clomiphene.
Many gonadotropins are available. The fertility specialists at our Louisiana fertility center are here to help hopeful parents determine which medications will be most beneficial for their unique fertility needs.
- Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG) is commonly used for ovulation induction. This medication is a mixture of FSH and LH, and may be recommended for women who do not menstruate on their own due to the failure of their pituitary gland to stimulate ovulation. This drug is sold as Menopur®.
- Urofollitropin, or Recombinant FSH, is similar to hMG, but it does not include LH. This medication works by stimulating your ovaries to mature egg follicles. This drug is sold as Bravelle®, Follistim® or Gonal F®.
- When Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is used for ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications, it stimulates a mature follicle to release its egg, and is used in combination with hMG and FSH. This drug is sold as Novarel®, Pregnyl® Profasi® or Ovidrel®.
- Before a treatment like in vitro fertilization, your doctor may recommend a gonadotropin, alone or in combination with other fertility drugs, as it may help you produce several eggs for the procedure.
Our fertility specialists work with hopeful parents to develop a customized treatment plan and help patients fully understand how and when to administer the medications.
Understanding the necessary amount of injections
If a woman needs ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications and is prescribed hMG and urofollitropin or recombinant FSH, she will require injections for seven to 12 days to prompt her ovaries to produce several eggs. The number of days of injections depends on how long it takes her eggs to become mature. This protocol is usually followed by an injection of hCG, which tells the ovaries to release the mature eggs into the Fallopian tubes.
Required monitoring
While a hopeful mother is undergoing ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications, she will be monitored closely to see how she is responding to the medications. This monitoring, which usually consists of ultrasounds and blood tests, helps her physician to determine the dosage of injectable fertility medication that is required.
When her doctor determines that the eggs are mature, the hopeful mother will receive an injection of hCG. She will likely ovulate within 24 to 36 hours. At that time, she will either be sent home to have intercourse, or her doctor will schedule an intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Contact our Louisiana fertility center for more information about ovulation induction with injectable fertility medications.
