Medications (ovulation induction) with or without IUI.
The goal of using medications for ovulation induction is to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple follicles, each of which contains an egg.
Medications, such as Lupron, are given to patients to “turn off” the normal menstrual cycle and prevent ovulation. A vaginal ultrasound and blood test, around the time the patient’s period starts, is done to examine the ovaries and measure hormone levels.
Gonadotropins, such as Gonal-F or Follistim, are started after the menstrual period has stopped. Simultaneously the Lupron does is cut down. Gonadotropins stimulate the ovaries, causing several follicles to enlarge at once. The number of follicles varies in patients between one or two and 30.
Once testing shows that the follicles are large and the eggs inside are mature, the medications are stopped and the patient is administered a “trigger” does of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This medication prepared the eggs for ovulations and subsequent fertilization via Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) after a retrieval of all of the mature eggs.
