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ROLE OF OVARIAN STIMULATION IN IVF

In an IVF cycle, you maximize your chances of success by generating as many mature eggs as possible. The stimulation phase involves the injection of medications for 8-14 days, to induce the ovaries to produce many eggs. The stimulation phase takes longer if your follicles are slower to mature. One of the main steps in IVF is stimulating the ovaries by taking daily injections of hormones. These hormones are regularly produced in your body; however the injections you will be taking contain a higher dose than what would naturally occur. This allows multiple eggs to mature in the ovary, which increases the chance for pregnancy.

Fertility drugs commonly given in this program include:

• Leuprolide
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
• Human Menopausal Gonadotropins (hMG)
• Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
• Antagonist (cetrorelix)

The benefit to these drugs is that they are exactly the same as the hormones (FSH and LH) found in a woman’s body. Therefore, the drugs stimulate the ovaries directly, unlike oral medications like Clomid, which provide indirect ovarian stimulation.

SIDE EFFECTS

There are some possible side effects with injectable medications,

• Headaches.
• Hot flashes.
• Skin irritation
• Blurred vision.
• Nausea.
• Breast tenderness
• Changes in cervical mucus.
• Bloating.
• Higher risk for multiple births.
• Ovarian hyper stimulation