Ovulation Induction

What is ovulation induction?

Ovulation induction involves using hormonal fertility treatments to help a woman develop and ovulate one or more eggs during her menstrual cycle. This approach is one of the first-line infertility treatment options for many patients, because it is the least invasive treatment intervention. These medications can be used on their own to boost the chances of conception through timed intercourse or combined with other fertility treatments like IUI or IVF.

Who should consider it?

Ovulation induction is primarily recommended for women who have irregular or absent ovulation, which is a common cause of infertility. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), stress, significant weight changes, or any other factors that lead to irregular ovulation or ovarian failure can benefit from these treatments.

What does the research say?

Research indicates that the success rate of ovulation induction is estimated to be around 20-25% per cycle. This is comparable to natural fertility rates, where women under 30 have about a 25% chance of getting pregnant naturally each cycle, which drops to 20% for women over 30 and down to 5% by age 40. The success rates tend to decrease with increasing age, particularly for women over 35, and for those with a higher BMI (over 25 kg/m2)¹.  

Safety

While ovulation induction can be effective, using hormonal drugs carries some risks. There is about a 2% risk of multiple pregnancies with each cycle of ovarian stimulation. Multiple pregnancies carry more risks than a single pregnancy, placing additional pressure on the mother and increasing the chances of premature birth and other complications.

Additionally, there is a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) with these medications, where the ovaries become swollen and painful due to overstimulation.

Myfertility’s take on Ovulation Induction

At My Fertility, we believe it’s essential to have a thorough evaluation before starting any ovulation induction treatment. For individuals with hormonal disorders such as thyroid dysfunction, we recommend consulting with a healthcare provider to address these conditions before beginning ovulation induction.

It’s also important to be aware of the potential side effects of fertility drugs, which can include bloating, headaches, mood swings, hot flashes, and abdominal discomfort. If you experience more than three failed cycles of ovulation induction, it may be time to explore other infertility treatments based on your specific situation.

Finally, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always a good foundation when trying to conceive, even before considering medical interventions.

If you want to learn more about the best fertility clinics for you, and which clinics do these treatments, be sure to check out our clinic finder and clinic matcher. We built these tools to help you find and match with IVF clinics and fertility specialists near you, and filter through them all based on their success rates, prices, patient reviews, technologies and support services offered.

Find low cost IVF near you and top fertility clinics near you, and get a breakdown of all the hidden IVF costs and what to look our for. You can also join the myfertility circle on slack and chat with with other patients going through their fertility journey and our team of dedicated and experienced experts.

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