IVF: Ovulation induction
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If you’re using your own eggs during IVF, at the start of a cycle you’ll begin treatment with synthetic hormones to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs — rather than the single egg that normally develops each month. Multiple eggs are needed because some eggs won’t fertilize or develop normally after fertilization.
You may need several different medications, such as:
- Medications for ovarian stimulation. To stimulate your ovaries, you might receive an injectable medication containing a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a luteinizing hormone (LH) or a combination of both. These medications stimulate more than one egg to develop at a time.
- Medications for oocyte maturation. When the follicles are ready for egg retrieval — generally after eight to 14 days — you will take human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or other medications to help the eggs mature.
- Medications to prevent premature ovulation. These medications prevent your body from releasing the developing eggs too soon.
- Medications to prepare the lining of your uterus. On the day of egg retrieval or at the time of embryo transfer, your doctor might recommend that you begin taking progesterone supplements to make the lining of your uterus more receptive to implantation.
Your doctor will work with you to determine which medications to use and when to use them.
Typically, you’ll need one to two weeks of ovarian stimulation before your eggs are ready for retrieval. To determine when the eggs are ready for collection, your doctor will likely perform:
- A vaginal ultrasound, an imaging exam of your ovaries to monitor the development of follicles — fluid-filled ovarian sacs where eggs mature
- Blood tests, to measure your response to ovarian stimulation medications — estrogen levels typically increase as follicles develop and progesterone levels remain low until after ovulation
Sometimes IVF cycles need to be canceled before egg retrieval for one of these reasons:
- Inadequate number of follicles developing
- Premature ovulation
- Too many follicles developing, creating a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- Other medical issues
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