Ovulation Induction Treatment
There are many causes of infertility, but one of the most common and easily treatable causes of female infertility is anovulation — when an egg does not release, or ovulate, from the ovaries.
Ovulation induction is a fertility treatment that uses fertility medications to stimulate ovulation so that you can increase your chances of conceiving.
What is ovulation induction?
Ovulation problems or ovulation disorders can make it difficult to get pregnant. Ovulation induction is a type of fertility treatment that uses hormone medication to stimulate ovulation in women with irregular or absent periods.
After ovulation induction treatment, you can either try to conceive by timing sexual intercourse or by undergoing intrauterine insemination treatment (IUI).
There are several reasons why a woman might have irregular ovulation or anovulation:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Under- or over-active thyroid
- Ageing, which includes the natural diminishing of a woman’s eggs as she ages
- Premature ovarian failure – when the ovaries stop working before age 40
How does ovulation induction work?
Ovulation induction involves taking fertility medications that are identical to a woman’s reproductive hormones that regulate the production and growth of eggs. The medication for ovulation induction stimulates the ovaries to produce a single healthy egg or multiple eggs.
During your treatment, you will require regular ultrasound scans to monitor the response of your ovaries. In addition to the scans, you may be asked to check your LH hormone level (the hormone that causes ovulation to occur) by using home fertility kits.
The medication can also control the time that the mature egg is released, so in most cases, couples will be advised of the best time to have intercourse.
The ovulation induction process
There are three main stages of ovulation induction: stimulation, control and egg release.
In the stimulation phase, you will be given medication to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple follicles, the fluid-filled sacs that contain the eggs. You will either be prescribed oral medications containing Letrozole or Clomiphene Citrate, or hormonal injections containing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
The response of your ovaries to the medication will be tracked and monitored during the control stage. This includes blood tests to monitor your hormone levels and ultrasounds to assess if the follicles have matured.
The third step is egg release. The blood tests and ultrasounds will help determine when ovulation is about to occur. In some cases, you might have a trigger injection of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to assist the ovaries in releasing the mature eggs before timed intercourse or IUI.
How much does ovulation induction cost?
IVF Matters offers ovulation induction for patients in and around London at our Marylebone clinic at affordable costs.
Ovulation Induction Treatment – £949
One cycle of ovulation induction includes the following:
- Cycle management
- Ultrasound monitoring (up to three scans)
- Consultation with a nutritionist or counsellor*
* First cycle of treatment only
Take the next step to grow your family at London’s leading IVF clinic and fertility centre
If you’re struggling with PCOS or irregular or absent periods, we’re here to help you navigate your fertility choices.
Your consultant will advise you on the most suitable options for you and their chances for success, depending on your situation. We’re here to give you all the advice, support and treatment you need to increase your chances of having a baby.
If you would like to see if ovulation induction might be the right treatment for you, we offer free 15-minute consultations to anyone looking to learn more. It’s the perfect opportunity to ask questions and gain confidence about starting your fertility journey.
Success rates for ovulation induction vary depending on many factors, most notably a woman’s diagnosed reason for infertility and her age. A woman’s age at the time of treatment, as well as the quality of the eggs and sperm, determines the embryo’s ability to develop.
The success rate for ovulation induction is approximately 7-10% per cycle. Depending on your circumstances, you are more likely to have a higher success rate if you follow ovulation induction with intrauterine insemination treatment (IUI).
You might be a good candidate for ovulation induction if you have infrequent, irregular periods or you do not menstruate. It is often the preferred method of treatment for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Ovulation induction is also used to increase the number of eggs developed in a single cycle in women who already ovulate so that they can increase their chances of getting pregnant.
Assuming that you have a satisfactory response to the fertility drugs used in your ovulation induction treatment, you can continue the treatment during consecutive cycles for six cycles.
Like all medications, you might experience some side effects from the fertility medications used in your ovulation induction treatment. These can include:
Abdominal discomfort or swelling
Bloating sensation
Mood swings
Fatigue
Restlessness
Because the medication stimulates the ovaries, some additional risks are associated with ovulation induction. Risks include:
- Multiple births
- Simple ovarian cysts
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) – most of the time, this is a mild condition that can be treated at home, but more moderate or severe cases require immediate medical attention
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