Medications used to treat infertility

A natural menstrual cycle usually only produces one egg. However, infertility affects more women that we may actually think, and women may seek additional assistance from their doctor to increase their chances of having a family. There are different infertility medications that may be prescribed depending on the situation.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG): HCG prepares the egg for ovulation by stimulating their release from the follicle wall., HCG is used together with other hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in treatment of infertility. Some medications that contain HCG, depending on what your doctor prescribed you, are:

• Ovidrel: contains choriogonadtropin alfa, which is a synthetic version of HCG.
  • Administered as an injection right below the skin
• Pregnyl
  • Needs to be refrigerated
  • Administered as an injection right below the skin
• Choriomon
  • Administered as an injection right below the skin

Human Menopausal Gonadotropins: it directly works on the ovaries to trigger development of the follicles. It contains equal amounts of FSH and LH, and it’ll stimulate your ovaries to induce ovulation while also assisting your ovaries to produce one or more eggs. Medications that contain HMG are:

• Menopur
  • Administered through a subcutaneous injection
• Menogon
  • Administered through a subcutaneous injection
• Merional
  • Administered through a subcutaneous injection

Progesterone: Progesterone is a hormone that is produced by the ovary and is first discovered in the middle of a woman’s cycle when an egg is ovulated. An important function that progesterone plays in a woman’s cycle is preparing the uterus to allow a fertilized egg to implant. If the egg is not fertilized, a pregnancy does not take place and the progesterone levels fall and therefore you’ll have your period. Progesterone supplements are used to thicken the uterine lining if the body is not producing enough of the hormone, and it prepares the body to support the embryo for a successful conception. Some medications that contain progesterone are:

• Crinone Gel
  • It is a vaginal gel that is administered directly from the applicator deep into the vagina with a pre-measured dose.
• Progestan
  • It is given as a pill, and it should be administered orally.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): FSH is a natural sex hormone that directly affects the ovaries through regulating ovulation, growth and development of eggs in the ovaries. FSH medication contains urofollitropin is given in order to stimulate follicle growth in the ovaries for women who cannot ovulate and do not have primary ovarian failure.  Some medications that contain FSH are:

• Fostimon
  • It is given as an injection subcutaneously.
• Gonal-F:
  • It contains follitropin alfa, which Is a type of FSH.
  • It is pre-filled and is administered through a subcutaneous injection.
  • It is used to help release an egg from the ovary
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