Education Center

Medication Information

There are many medications commonly used in infertility treatments. They are either oral, injectable or by vaginal capsule. The following will give very brief descriptions of these medications and why they are used.

Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate/Serophene)
Bromocriptine
Ganirelix/Cetrotide
Follicle Stimulating Injectable (Gonal F, Follistim, Menopur, Bravelle, Repronex)
Lupron

HCG (Novarel, Pregnyl, Ovidrel, Profasi)
Progesterone
Estrace
Dexamethasone
Methylprednisilone (Medrol)

Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate/Serophene) (oral)

This medication acts on certain areas of the brain (the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland) to induce ovulation. One to four tablets are taken for five days starting on day 3-5 of your cycle. Because this drug can cause cysts, you will need to have a sonogram each month before starting the next dosing cycle.

If ovulation does not occur on a lower dose, the dose can be increased with the next cycle. If ovulation does not occur despite the use of Clomid, the person is considered "non-responsive" and alternative treatment may be considered after consultation with the doctor.

One risk of this medication may include multiple births. This occurs in 5-10% of the women taking this medication. Other side effects may include: ovarian enlargement and associated discomfort, thickening of the cervical mucus, hot flashes and bloating, headache, breast discomfort, nausea, skin rash, dizziness, mood swings, and depression.

If changes in vision occur, your doctor needs to be notified right away.

Bromocriptine (oral)

This medication is used to treat elevated prolactin levels. These elevated levels can interfere with normal ovulation. It is usually given at bedtime to reduce the feeling of side effects which may include light-headedness, nausea and vomiting. Constipation and nasal stuffiness may also be side effects and are easily corrected.

Antagon/Cetrotide (injectable)

These medications are added during a stimulated cycle in order to prevent ovulation. Some of the benefits to this type of ovulation suppression are: significantly less number of injections and low potential for side effects. They are given subcutaneous (SQ) in the form of prefilled syringes. The method of SQ administration can be seen under "how to administer injections".

Follicle Stimulating Injectable (Gonal F, Follistim, Menopur, Bravelle, Repronex) (injectable)

These are the medications your doctor will prescribe to stimulate your ovaries to start producing as many follicles as possible during the stimulation period. There are risks and side effects including but not limited to: bloating, multiple births, headache, mood swings, ovarian hyper stimulation, tubal pregnancy, mild and temporary discomfort at the injection site(s). They can be safely given intramuscularly (IM) or subcutaneously (SQ). The form that will be used for you will depend on the drug ordered and your doctor's recommendation for its route of administration.

Lupron (injectable)

There are two different methods in which this medication may be used during your stimulation cycle. One method is with a single, daily injection to suppress ovulation. The other method is to use the Lupron in diluted doses 2-4 times per day. When used in this manner, it stimulates ovarian function in patients suspected of being low responders. These patients may benefit from the initial stimulatory effect on the ovaries. Your physician will determine which method is best for you.

HCG (Novarel, Pregnyl, Ovidrel, Profasi) (injectable)

This is the medication that is given when the follicles are believed to be mature and ready for the ovulation process. It is given intramuscularly and triggers the brain to start the ovulation process which can take up to 40 hours or so to complete.

Progesterone (injection or vaginal capsule)

This medication is also a hormone found naturally in your body. Release of Progesterone helps to enhance/increase the uterine lining preparing it for an implantation (pregnancy). This medication can be injected intramuscularly or taken by vaginal capsule. The dosage, route of administration, and frequency of use will be determined by your physician.

Estrace (oral)
Estraderm Patches (applied to lower body skin)

These female sex hormones are naturally produced by the ovaries and are largely responsible for stimulating the uterine lining to thicken in preparation for possible pregnancy. We give them in these forms to produce the same effect.

Dexamethasone (oral)

This is an oral corticosteroid. It is taken during stimulation as studies suggest that it prevents early androgen and progesterone rises which may be detrimental to oocyte (egg) quality.

Methylprednisilone (Medrol)

Methylprednisilone is a corticosteroid used in patients undergoing any micromanipulation procedure (ICSI or Assisted Hatching). The rationale behind the use of this oral medication lies in the potential activation of the maternal immune response as the result of changes in the micromanipulated egg or embryo. Thus, Medrol is used to thwart this theoretical aspect of micromanipulation. The medication is begun prior to embryo transfer.

Some common side effects of this medication include skin changes (acne, rash), nausea and vomiting, headaches, mood changes, low blood pressure and tachycardia (fast heart beat). In diabetic patients, the use of steroids will increase serum glucose and may make diabetic control difficult during the few days that it is taken.