Ovulation Induction

Ovulation Induction (OI) is a well-established fertility treatment that uses medication to regulate or stimulate ovulation. It is particularly suited to women with irregular cycles or conditions such as PCOS, and is often combined with IUI for a more targeted approach. At City Fertility, our specialists will assess whether OI is the right first step for you and tailor your treatment accordingly

What is Ovulation Induction?

Ovulation Induction (OI) is often used as an early intervention fertility treatment. It uses medications to regulate ovulation, particularly for women with irregular periods who may not know when they ovulate. It’s also used to increase the number of eggs produced during a cycle to increase the chances of pregnancy. It is often combined with intra-uterine insemination (IUI).

How Does Ovulation Induction Work?

Ovulation induction typically involves the following process:

1. Initial consultation with a City Fertility Specialist: When you first meet with a fertility specialist you will undergo fertility testing that includes blood tests to assess ovulation and hormone levels. Your doctor may recommend ovulation induction as a first treatment.Ovulation induction is not suitable for everyone. This treatment depends on factors such as a woman’s age, medical diagnosis, and the results of the initial semen analysis.

2. Stimulation: Ovarian stimulation involves taking oral medication or follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) injections at the start of your period to stimulate the ovaries to encourage the growth of multiple follicles containing eggs.

3. Control & Monitoring: Your fertility specialist will closely monitor your ovarian response during the stimulation phase with ultrasounds and/or blood tests. This is important as ovulation induction medication is powerful. This means your medication may need to be adjusted to control the size and number of follicles and to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancies.

5. Egg release – ovulation: When the follicles are mature, you will take an intramuscular injection of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in preparation for intercourse or intra-uterine insemination (IUI).
6. Timed sexual intercourse or IUI: A pelvic ultrasound is performed near ovulation time to show us the developing follicles and indicate the best day to have sex and maximise the chances of pregnancy.

To learn more, please visit our Patient information booklets page and view the Ovulation Induction (OI) PDF here.

Who is Ovulation Induction Suitable For?

If you are not ovulating or struggling to fall pregnant, ovulation induction may be something you consider. However, ovulation induction may not be suitable for everyone. Your fertility specialist may recommend this for anyone who relates to the following:

• Women with unexplained infertility.
• Women with long, irregular or infrequent cycles.
• Women who are not spontaneously ovulating.
• Couples with no male-factor infertility.

Ovulation Induction treatment is not recommended for:

• Women over 38 years of age.
• Women with tubal blockage or severe tubal damage.
• Women with severe endometriosis.
• Couples with a low sperm count or poor sperm motility/morphology.

Types of Ovulation Induction Medications

Various fertility medications are available for ovulation induction, and your physician will choose the drug or combination of stimulation drugs that is best in each case. Ovulation induction medications include:

• Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid or Serophene) – An oral medication prescribed to women with infrequent periods and long ovulation cycles to produce more follicle-stimulating hormone.
• Ovulation Hormone (or FSH) – This involves a series of daily follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) injections self-administered at home from day 2 or 3 of your menstrual cycle. This medication is used to stimulate the ovaries to encourage the growth of multiple follicles containing eggs.