The desire to build a family is deeply personal, and for those experiencing difficulties with conception, fertility treatments offer a path to hope. Ovarian stimulation, a process that helps the ovaries release mature eggs, plays a vital role in these treatments. It is a crucial process as it contributes to increasing the success rate of fertility treatments. However, it is also a challenging process as the female reproductive cycle is complex by nature.
Continue reading to learn about the actual process of ovarian stimulation and its role in fertility treatments.
Ovarian stimulation is a medical procedure commonly used in fertility treatments. It plays a key role in most assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Since a typical reproductive cycle naturally releases only one egg per month, ovarian stimulation helps encourage the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs, increasing the chances of successful fertilisation.
Hormonal injections containing FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) are administered to stimulate the ovaries and release multiple mature eggs. This increases the chance of fertilisation of eggs. It is usually done in the early follicular development phase on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual cycle.
There are two types of ovarian stimulation:
● Long Protocol, where the process is started a week before the menstrual period
● Antagonist Protocol, where the stimulation is done from the second day of the menstrual period.
Women can opt for ovarian stimulation medical procedures when they suffer from any of the following issues.
● Ovarian Problems: A woman who has no ovulation or irregular ovulation can go for ovarian stimulation.
● Fertility Issues: Women who face trouble getting pregnant naturally due to any of the fertility problems can consider ovarian stimulation to increase the chance of getting pregnant.
● IVF Treatment: Women who are candidates for IVF or other ART treatment can opt for ovarian stimulation.
● Low Ovarian Reserve: Women with low AMH levels due to declined ovarian function can stimulate their ovaries for egg production.
With ART, the chance of conception can be maximised. This is made possible by harvesting multiple mature eggs. Ovarian stimulation aids in inducing the ovaries to release more eggs. Hormonal injections containing FSH, LH and hCG are administered to stimulate ovarian function. This helps in harvesting multiple eggs, thereby increasing the chance of fertilisation.
The ovarian stimulation procedure is a boon for those who undergo fertility treatments. It plays a critical role in fertility procedures, including IUI, IVF and others. The following are the benefits of ovarian stimulation:
In a typical menstrual cycle, only one egg is released, whereas ovarian stimulation, which involves stimulating the ovaries with hormone medications, releases multiple eggs in a single cycle. This can significantly improve the chances of successful fertilisation.
There is a need to pick the most viable or mature eggs for fertilisation during IVF or other fertility treatments. Ovarian stimulation helps harvest multiple eggs, allowing the selection of the most feasible egg for the procedure.
Multiple mature oocytes can be harvested, thereby increasing the success rate of fertilisation. The resulting embryo is viable and suitable for conception. Thus, ovarian stimulation plays a key role in increasing the success rate of fertility treatments.
Ovarian stimulation is a complex process that demands regular monitoring. Here is a deeper look at the procedure.
Your fertility specialist performs some initial tests. These may include blood tests and ultrasound scans to determine your fertility condition. The blood tests help reveal hormonal levels.
This usually starts during the 2nd or 3rd day of your menstrual cycle. Gonadotrophin injections containing FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) are administered daily to stimulate ovarian function. This drug induces multiple follicles to develop at the same time.
The developing follicles are monitored through ultrasounds and blood tests, which help alter the hormonal drugs as needed.
Final maturation or a trigger shot containing human chorionic gonadotropin is administered to mature the follicles. This is done 36 hours before egg retrieval.
You may be offered a mild sedation so that you may not feel the pain during the procedure. An ultrasound-guided needle is inserted through your vagina, and it reaches the follicle. Now the fluid containing the egg is extracted using the needle.
The retrieved egg is analysed in a laboratory to assess its quality. The most viable eggs are chosen for fertility treatments.
You may need to rest a few hours after the procedure.
Ovarian stimulation is also associated with specific risks and side effects:
● As multiple eggs are released, there is an increased chance of multiple births
● Risk of miscarriage
● Higher chance of preterm delivery
● Swelling or on syndrome
● Ectopic pregnancy
● Bloating
● Nausea and vomiting
● Breathing problems
● Blood clots
● Kidney failure
Ovarian stimulation plays a pivotal role in fertility treatments, offering a vital step toward parenthood. By stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs, it significantly enhances the chances of successful fertilisation and embryo development. Though the process is complex and requires careful monitoring, it offers hope to individuals and couples struggling with infertility, helping them take an essential step closer to their dream of becoming parents.
In a normal reproductive cycle, the ovaries release only one egg per month, but in IVF, you may need more mature eggs for a better success rate. So ovarian stimulation induces the ovaries to release more mature eggs, thereby increasing fertilisation.
Ovarian stimulation requires the use of hormonal therapy. Hormonal medications are mostly used to stimulate the ovaries. This may include follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone administered through injections. hCG hormonal injections are administered to trigger ovulation.
You may need 8 to 14 days for ovarian stimulation during a fertility cycle. The days may vary from person to person based on their response to medications.
The possible side effects of ovarian stimulation are breast tenderness, multiple births, high risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, depression and mood swings.
