Ovulation induction services

Ovulation induction involves stimulating the maturation of one or more eggs within the ovaries, followed by the triggering of ovulation. Our fertility doctors use medications that mimic your body’s naturally occurring hormones – follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) – which stimulate eggs to mature in the ovaries. Following this, a single hormone injection is used to trigger ovulation.

This allows sexual intercourse to be timed accordingly, which increases the likelihood of successful natural conception. Additionally, ovulation induction may be used alongside intrauterine insemination (IUI), which can help overcome other factors that are contributing to infertility, such as male factor infertility.

No, ovulation induction is not the same as IVF. Ovulation induction is a fertility treatment that stimulates the maturation of one or more eggs within the ovary, followed by the triggering of ovulation. Following this, sexual intercourse is timed with ovulation, increasing the likelihood of natural conception.

Comparatively, IVF involves fertilising an egg outside the body and then transferring the fertilised egg (embryo) back into the uterus. Pregnancy results if the embryo successfully implants in the wall of your uterus and begins to grow.

Ovulation induction is a technique that uses medication to stimulate the growth and release of an egg for fertilisation. Ovulation induction can then be timed with intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI) to increase your chances of conception. Ovulation induction medications may also be used to induce the formation of multiple eggs during IVF treatment – this step is part of the egg retrieval process.

As ovulation induction stimulates the ovaries to release a mature egg, it may help overcome female infertility factors. You may benefit from ovulation induction if:

• You have irregular cycles, ovulate irregularly or if ovulation is absent
• You have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that can disrupt normal ovulation

Ovulation induction is generally considered to be a low-risk treatment.

The most important factor to be mindful of is the increased risk of multiple pregnancies (e.g. twins), as ovulation induction can cause the release of multiple mature eggs from the ovary. Although the prospect of twins (or more) can be exciting, multiple pregnancies come with additional risks for both the mother and baby.

During the ovulation induction process, your fertility specialist will use blood tests and ultrasound to monitor your egg maturation and release. If your doctor is concerned that there is a risk of multiple pregnancies, they will discuss this with you and may adjust your medications or advise you to abstain from intercourse temporarily, depending on your preferences.

Ovulation induction success rates typically increase cumulatively with each cycle or month – just like pregnancy rates do for couples trying to naturally conceive. Pregnancy rates from ovulation induction sit at around 22.5% after one cycle, 40.3% after two cycles and 47.7% after three cycles.¹

It’s important to note that there are a variety of factors that affect ovulation induction pregnancy rates, which include:

• Age – as women age the quantity and quality of their eggs decline²
• Recurrent miscarriages – women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages may have fertility issues that ovulation induction may not be helpful for
• Type of fertility problem – ovulation induction is best suited to fertility issues related to irregular ovulation or no ovulation
• Smoking – smoking can damage sperm DNA and reduce the number of eggs stored in the ovaries (known as ovarian reserve)³
• Alcohol – alcohol lowers sperm counts and can suppress egg growth and release
• Nutrition – maintaining good nutrition can both improve semen quality and also increase the chance of regular ovulation3
• Exercise – moderate physical activity can improve the shape of sperm, as well as improve overall female fertility³ 

References:

1. Pontré J et al. The cumulative success of ovulation induction therapy with gonadotrophins in theraphy-naïve anovulatory women: An observational study. Aust N Z J Obstet Gyaecol, 2020;60(2):271-277. doi:10.1111/ajo.13123
2. van Loendersloot LL et al. Predictive factors in in vitro fertilisation (IVF): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update, 2010;16(6)577-589. Doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmq015
3. Sharma et al. Lifestyle factors and reproductive health: Taking control of your fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol, 2013;11:66. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-11-66

Everyone’s body is unique – some women may experience discomfort throughout the ovulation induction process, while others may not experience any symptoms. Ovulation induction is unlikely to be more painful than natural ovulation.

Your fertility specialist may use injections to induce ovulation. If you receive this form of medication, you may experience a slight sting at the injection site.

Ovulation induction uses medications designed to mimic female hormones and encourage the growth and release of eggs from your ovaries. Some women experience symptoms from these medications. These symptoms vary depending on the medication you receive, and your fertility specialist will advise you about these medication-specific symptoms.

Common possible symptoms related to ovulation induction include nausea, hot flushes, breast tenderness and bloating.

Ovulatory dysfunction affects 18–25% of couples experiencing infertility and occurs when there is irregular or absent ovulation. If a woman does not ovulate (i.e. release an egg from the ovary), natural conception cannot occur. Irregular ovulation can also make it more challenging to fall pregnant naturally. In this case, it can be difficult for a woman to predict when she is likely to ovulate, and thus, when to time intercourse with her partner to take advantage of her fertile window.

In these circumstances, ovulation-inducing medications can stimulate the maturation and release of one or more eggs from the ovary.

Symptoms of ovulatory dysfunction include:

• Long cycles (>35 days)
• Short cycles (<25 days)
• Irregular periods (potentially going several months without menses)
• Absent periods
• Short time from ovulation until Day 1 of next period (<12 days)

 
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of ovulation dysfunction. However, other conditions can also affect ovulation, including thyroid or prolactin hormone dysfunction, chronic illness and low body weight, and low ovarian reserve.

Ovulation induction typically occurs in two phases over a 5–14 day period (depending on your response to treatment):

• Phase one – your fertility specialist will prescribe hormone medications (either oral or by injection) to stimulate the growth and maturation of one or more eggs from your ovary. Your fertility specialist may use blood tests and ultrasounds to monitor egg development, especially if you are using injections.
• Phase two – when your eggs have sufficiently matured, your fertility specialist or nurse will provide a trigger injection to stimulate ovulation (the release of an egg from your ovary). This may not be required if you have taken oral medications. Following this, you can engage in timed intercourse with your partner, increasing the chance of natural conception. Alternatively, we may recommend intrauterine insemination, e.g. if male factor infertility is also present or you are using donor sperm.

 
You can learn more about ovulation induction in this blog written by Newlife IVF fertility specialist Dr Nicole Hope.

A healthy lifestyle can improve your fertility. Lifestyle recommendations include engaging regularly in moderate physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, and consuming a nutritious and well-rounded diet. Other lifestyle changes include reducing your consumption of alcohol and caffeine, while avoiding illicit substances, smoking and vaping.¹

For more tips on how to improve your chances of conception, refer to this blog by Newlife IVF fertility specialist Dr Nicole Hope. Your fertility specialist can also provide you with personalised diet, exercise and lifestyle advice.

1. Sharma R, Biedenharn KR, Fedor JM, Agarwal A. Lifestyle factors and reproductive health: taking control of your fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013; 11(66).

There are several other fertility treatment options available that may be better suited to your specific needs, such as IVF, IUI, ICSI, IMSI and preimplantation genetic testing. Your fertility specialist will help you understand and select the next best step for you.

The fees associated with ovulation induction include charges for consultations with your fertility specialist, along with the cost of your medications and any blood tests or ultrasounds that you have as part of the monitoring. Additional payments apply should your treatment involve an insemination procedure such as IUI.

You may be eligible for a rebate through Medicare and private health insurance, which can reduce the cost.

Please reach out to our friendly team for further information about the costs involved. Call (03) 8080 8933 or email [email protected]. You can also visit our fees page.