Overview
Treatment is closely monitored with ultrasound scans, so it is safe and timed for the best chance of pregnancy, either with intercourse or with IUI.
Who it helps
- Women with irregular or absent periods, most often because of PCOS
- Women who ovulate but irregularly, making the fertile days hard to predict
- Couples having IUI, where timing the insemination matters
How a cycle works
- Tablets early in the cycle
Usually letrozole for five days, starting on day 2 to 5 of the period. Clomiphene is an alternative. - Follicle tracking scans
Ultrasound from around day 10 shows how the follicles grow and how many there are. - Trigger injection
When a follicle is ready, an injection can be used to time the release of the egg. - Timed intercourse or IUI
Your doctor tells you the best days, or plans an IUI about 36 hours after the trigger. - Pregnancy test
About two weeks after ovulation.
If tablets do not work
If there is no response to tablets, low-dose hormone injections (gonadotropins) can be used with careful monitoring. Laparoscopic ovarian drilling is an option for some women with PCOS. If pregnancy does not follow after several ovulatory cycles, your doctor will discuss IUI or IVF.
Safety
Monitoring scans make sure only one or two follicles grow. If too many develop, the cycle can be adjusted or cancelled to avoid twins or ovarian hyperstimulation.
Questions about ovulation induction
Is ovulation induction the same as IVF?
No. Ovulation induction helps your body release an egg inside the body, and fertilisation happens naturally or with IUI. In IVF, eggs are collected and fertilised in the laboratory.
How many cycles of ovulation induction should we try?
Many women conceive within a few ovulatory cycles. If pregnancy has not happened after several cycles in which you did ovulate, your doctor will review the plan and may suggest IUI or IVF.
Are there side effects?
Most women have few side effects. Some notice hot flushes, headaches or mood changes. The main risk is more than one egg being released, which is why cycles are monitored by ultrasound.
Why do I need scans if I am only taking tablets?
Scans show whether and when you ovulate and how many follicles are growing. They make treatment more effective and safer.
