Download Ovulation Induction What is Ovulation Induction?

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The facts about: Ovulation Induction
What is Ovulation Induction?
Ovulation is the process by which an egg is released from a mature follicle which has
developed on one of the ovaries. In women who have normal regular menstrual cycles,
this normally happens once a month. In some women however, follicle maturation
and ovulation happens irregularly, rarely and in some cases not at all.
Ovulation Induction is a common first line of treatment for women with such ovulation
or menstrual cycle irregularities. It is one of the most straightforward fertility
treatments available and simply involves taking oral or injectable medication to
stimulate ovulation. The medication is commonly taken at the beginning of the
menstrual cycle and the women's response is monitored through the cycle using
ultrasound. The clinician can then determine when the patient is due to ovulate and
therefore the best time for intercourse or insemination.
How is Ovulation Induction achieved?
There are different protocols, medications and dosages of medication that can be used
for ovulation induction, which will be tailored to suit each individual. Your clinician will
decide when you will commence medications to stimulate the ovaries and when you will
need to be monitored by ultrasound scans and sometimes blood tests.
The fertility drugs that are variously used to achieve ovulation induction include:
 Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) tablets which are usually taken from day 2 to day 6
of the menstrual cycle. This is used to trick the pituitary gland into producing
more follicle stimulating hormone and to therefore stimulate follicle
development on the ovary.
 Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH - Puregon/Gonal F) daily injections are used to
stimulate the ovary to produce follicles and encourage those follicles to mature.
 Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG - Ovidrel/Pregnyl) injections are used
when the follicles are mature to initiate ovulation.
What procedures are used i n combination with ovulation induction?
Ovulation Induction is often used to achieve conception in combination with normal
sexual intercourse. This is called Timed Sexual Intercourse (TSI) and simply involves the
clinician identifying the best time in the cycle for the couple to have intercourse.
Dr Terry Sheahan | Patient Information
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In some cases Ovulation Induction is used in combination with Intra-uterine
Insemination (IUI). Again following ovulation induction the likely time of ovulation is
identified, but in this case, a sperm preparation is injected into the uterus by the
clinician. This process involves the partner producing a semen sample (or in some cases
a sample of donor sperm being thawed) from which the motile sperm are extracted and
concentrated in the laboratory. The woman attends the clinic and the insemination is
performed using a thin catheter inserted through the cervix in a procedure very like a
pap smear.
Are there any risks associated with ovulation induction?
OHSS (Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome) - The main risk of ovulation induction is
Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), when a woman overresponds to the
ovulation induction protocol and can become very sick. This risk can be minimised
through monitoring the treatment cycle with ultrasound scans and sometimes blood
tests.
Multiple Pregnancy - When the ovaries are stimulated by ovulation induction
protocols, it is possible for more than one follicle to mature and release an egg at the
same time which could in turn result in a multiple pregnancy. It is therefore very
important that the cycle is monitored by ultrasound. In some cases it may be necessary
to cancel a cycle if too many follicles develop and the risk of a multiple pregnancy is too
high.
SOURCE: “Life Fertility Clinic" www.lifefertility.com.au
Dr Terry Sheahan | Patient Information
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