The Role Of Medications In IVF

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In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is an elective procedure that helps patients get pregnant when other interventions have failed. Your New York IVF specialists at Innovation Fertility Preservation & IVF can help you realize your dream of becoming a parent. 

What To Expect During An IVF Treatment 

During an IVF cycle, physicians administer medications to speed up multiple eggs' growth in a female patient. Next, the eggs are harvested from the ovaries and then inseminated with sperm. Afterward, during the cultivation of the fertilized eggs, the physician will transfer the eggs into the woman’s uterus. After uterine placement, physicians administer hormones that will sustain the pregnancy by supporting the walls of the uterus. 

Sometimes additional procedures are necessary, for example: 

· Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) increases the chances of successful fertilization 

· Assisted hatching of embryos ensures the embryo implants in the uterus 

· Cryopreservation is the freezing of eggs or embryos 

Medications Administered During IVF Treatment 

Growing more than one egg at once increases the chances of an IVF treatment being successful. Therefore, additional medications, like gonadotropin injections, are necessary to promote success. Some of the gonadotropic medications used in IVF include: 

1. Gonadotropins, For Example, Follistim, Menopur, Gonal-F, And Bravelle 

These fertility drugs are usually natural hormones administered by a physician to stimulate the ovary and induce multiple oocytes (eggs) to grow simultaneously for about eight or more days. 

Injectable fertility drugs contain follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone is responsible for stimulating the growth of ovarian follicles, as the follicles are where eggs grow within the ovaries. 

Some drugs also contain luteinizing hormone (LH), which collaborates with FSH to stimulate estrogen production and ovarian follicles' growth. Sometimes a low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is used in place of LH. 

Gonadotropin administration is usually via subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. Using blood tests and ultrasound exams, physicians monitor the ovary to determine the correct gonadotropin dosage a patient will need and to decide when the eggs are ready to be harvested. 

2. GnRH-Agonists 

This fertility treatment medication is administered through injection and can be of two forms: Daily injections contain short-acting medications, and long-acting medications that can last for about 1-3 months. GnRH-agonists' purpose is to prevent the eggs from being released before they are ready to be harvested, a condition commonly known as premature LH surge. The injections will stimulate the release of FSH and LH from the pituitary. Furthermore, GnRH-agonists promote the end stages of egg maturation and ensure the growth of ovarian follicles. Leuprolide acetate is a GnRH-agonist. 

3. GnRH-Antagonists Like Ganirelix Acetate 

Physicians administer this category of medications to prevent premature ovulation. However, GnRH-antagonists only work for short periods, with physicians using them in the late stages of ovarian stimulation. 

4. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), Including Profasi And Novarel 

The use of hCG, which is a natural hormone, stimulates the maturity of eggs. Only mature eggs are fertilizable, and thus, hCG promotes the success of an IVF treatment.  Physicians keep track of hCG administration to know when eggs are ready for harvesting. 

Contact Innovation Fertility Preservation & IVF by phone to understand more about IVF treatment.

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