Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries. In females with normal menstruation, this process happens once a month.

Follicles are fluid-filled sacks that contain eggs. In some women, follicles fail to mature regularly, resulting in irregularities in ovulation or no ovulation at all.

Ovulation induction (OI) is a non-surgical fertility treatment that uses medications to increase the number of quality eggs produced during a cycle, thus increasing the chances of getting pregnant.

The course of medication usually starts at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. Regular USGS are done to monitor the body’s response through the treatment.

The doctor, therefore, knows your ovulation time and therefore can tell the best time for intercourse.

What are medications used for Ovulation Induction?

The doctor determines the course of treatment based on your body requirement. He will also advise you of the time to start medications for stimulating ovaries. He will also prescribe periodic ultrasounds and blood tests, to continuously monitor the response to treatment.

The various fertility drugs which a doctor can prescribe are as follows:

1. Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Daily injections of this drug stimulate the ovary to produce follicles and encourage them to mature.

2. Clomiphene citrate or Letrozole

They are tablets taken orally. They stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more follicle-stimulating hormones. The doctor usually prescribes these drugs from day 2 to day 6 of the menstrual cycle.

3. Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin

Doctors prescribe these injections post maturation of follicles to start ovulation.

Are there any potential side effects of these medications?

Mostly there are no significant side effects from these oral or injectable medications.

Although in some cases, women may develop following

• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Breast tenderness
• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Pelvic pressure

Also, there are chances of multiple births with these medications.

In which all conditions Ovulation Induction is recommended?

A doctor may prescribe ovulation induction for following.:

• Unexplained infertility
• Long or infrequent menstrual cycles
• Problems with ovulation

In which all conditions, one should not go with Ovulation Induction treatment

Ovulation induction treatment may not work for below mentioned

• Women above 38 years old
• Women with blockage in fallopian tubes
• Women with damaged fallopian tubes
• Women suffering from severe endometriosis
• Presence of male factor infertility

What are the chances of success in Ovulation Induction treatment?

Though the success rate depends on the woman’s age, diagnosis, and other conditions, generally a 20 to 25 percent success rate per cycle is achievable. The chances of pregnancy in a young, healthy couple are always greater than the couples with any fertility issues.

Is there any risk associated with Ovarian Induction treatment?

There are some possible complications associated with ovarian induction such as:

• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome- Painful and swollen ovaries
• Multifetal gestations- Chances of having triplets or twins may increase during this treatment.
• Preterm delivery
• Heterotopic/ectopic pregnancy
• Spontaneous abortion