Ovulation induction is the process of using medications to stimulate ovulation in women who have irregular or absent ovulation. Normal ovulation occurs when the ovary releases a mature egg in preparation for that egg to be fertilized, which takes a period of 28 days during a woman’s menstrual cycle. . If fertilization does not occur, the mature egg and any supplementary tissues are broken down and cleared from the uterus naturally. When ovulation happens less than once every 35 days or is unpredictable, it is considered to be irregular. When ovulation is completely unpredictable – in interval or duration – it is considered oligoovulation. If it doesn’t occur at all, it is called anovulation. Ovulatory problems impact fertility by taking away the predictability of ovulation and potentially the availability of an egg to be fertilized.
Anovulation can be caused by certain reproductive disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), nutritional problems or excessive exercise. Ovulation induction is typically achieved with a variety of medications that stimulate the ovary to produce and release eggs.
Women who ovulate infrequently
Women who do not ovulate at all
Women with unexplained infertility who ovulate regularly
patients undergoing an IVF cycle to maximize the egg production
Ovulation induction medications can sometimes cause Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome OHSS. The side effects of OHSS range from mild to severe, and usually fade after a few weeks without treatment. They can include:
Bloating.
Nausea.
Headaches.
Loss of breath.
Hot flashes.
Weight gain.
Tenderness in the pelvic region.
Blurry vision.
Benefits Of Ovulation Induction
Ovulation induction is usually one of the first treatments used for infertility because it is noninvasive and relatively low cost compared with other fertility treatments, such as IVF that includes costs of tests, medications, minor procedures and lab work.
For more severe cases of anovulation or other causes of infertility, ovulation induction can also be an effective treatment in conjunction with IVF, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and other holistic treatments.
