IVF and the egg retrieval process require injections to ensure that there will be eggs ready to be collected. Knowing the required IVF shots and their importance to egg retrieval can help clarify if it’s right for your situation.
Contact us online to get connected with reputable fertility clinics that can help you with your IVF journey and the IVF injections that come with that journey.
Below, we’ll go into more detail about why IVF shots are needed, the medications involved and how to administer them along with a general timeline of an injection schedule.
A Timeline for IVF Egg Retrieval Process Injections
Egg retrieval is a key component of IVF. It’s a surgical procedure that removes eggs from a woman’s ovaries before fertilization and development in a lab before the embryo transfer.
The IVF egg retrieval process requires injections to help with everything that goes into the ovaries making more eggs than just the singular egg your body produces naturally per month.
Multiple eggs are needed to help increase the chances of success for egg retrieval and IVF as some eggs won’t fertilize or develop to the point of being able to be used.
Although your schedule might look different, here’s an example of a general IVF injection timeline:
Medications to stop the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) happens anywhere from 1-4 weeks before ovarian stimulation. After suppressing ovulation to align with your timeline, LH, FSH or a combination of both are used to help the ovaries produce multiple eggs. These medications are injected every day for 8-12 days. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists both help stop your body from ovulating early and releasing eggs that are still developing. This takes place after ovarian stimulation starts and ends when stimulation does. About 8-12 days after ovarian stimulation, it’s time to trigger ovulation. The trigger shot needs to be done 36 hours prior to egg retrieval taking place. If you are ready for the embryo transfer, IVF medications such as birth control and/or estradiol and progesterone can be used to prepare your uterine lining for implantation. Depending on the type of embryo transfer occurring, it can take place 3-5 days after egg retrieval for a fresh embryo transfer or 3-4 weeks as frozen embryo transfers require additional IVF medications to help prepare for implantation.
Next, we’ll take a deeper look into the IVF shots used.
IVF Injections Used for Egg Retrieval
Each IVF shot used for egg retrieval helps with a different stage of the process from the early stages of the menstrual cycle to the egg retrieval itself.
Here are some of the most common IVF injections used during the process:
Gonadotropins: Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH)
Gonadotropins are hormones that are produced naturally in your body. Two of them, LH and FSH, are produced in the pituitary gland and another, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), is produced by the cells of the placenta during pregnancy.
Gonadotropin IVF injections stimulate the ovaries. Most gonadotropins are administered subcutaneously (injected under the skin) once per evening during an IVF cycle.
These artificial hormones will help your body develop more than egg at a time, consisting of FSH, LH or both.
Common gonadotropin medications prescribed include
- Gonal-f (FSH)
- Follistim (FSH)
- Menopur (FSH, LH)
- Repronex (FSH, LH)
Lupron (GnRH Agonist)
GnRH is also naturally produced by your body and also stimulates the ovaries.
GnRH agonists stimulate the pituitary gland to release any stored FSH and LH before stopping the production of any new gonadotropins. This helps control the development of eggs during IVF while also preventing premature ovulation.
Other forms of GnRH agonists are:
Synarel Suprecur Zoladex
Antagon and Cetrotide (GnRH Antagonist)
GnRH antagonists prevent premature ovulation by binding the receptor for GnRH to prevent a natural surge of LH and ovulation that occurs during a natural cycle.
These medications are taken for a shorter amount of time than Lupron but can prevent ovulation as effectively as Lupron when taken properly.
hCG and Ovidrel: IVF Trigger Injection
hCG is an IVF injection that can help the eggs develop to the point of being ready to be released from their follicles in the ovaries.
The trigger shot for IVF, consisting of hCG, Lupron or both, helps your doctors control when the eggs mature. When your doctors see the follicles have reached the right size, this IVF shot will be scheduled 36 hours before egg retrieval takes place.
Progesterone
Similar to gonadotropins and GnRH, progesterone is a hormone that your body produces naturally to help prepare the uterine lining for implantation.
As those IVF injections listed above are taken to stop premature ovulation, this can also impact the body’s ability to naturally produce it, so you may be prescribed progesterone in an artificial form.
Progesterone can help with egg retrieval and improving the odds of implantation.
Your fertility clinic can give you the full rundown on the IVF injections they use at their practice. To find a fertility clinic near you, contact us today.
Tips for Administering IVF Injections
Your fertility IVF shot schedule will be unique, with different combinations and doses based on your treatment plan.
Preparing for egg retrieval requires IVF injections under the skin or into a muscle as it gets the highest percentage of medication into your body.
Without experience, it can seem daunting at first glance. But we’ve got you covered.
Choose the site for the injection and clean the site with an alcohol swab. Work self-injections into your daily routine. Setting up a regular reminder on your phone can help you keep track of timing. Find a process that works best for you. Sometimes it helps to have a loved one like a family member with you. Practice deep breathing before penetrating the skin with the needle to help your body relax and lessen the pain. Try different injection sites, particularly if one is getting very sore.5 Tips for Self-Administering IVF Shots
Can You Do Egg Retrieval Without Injections?
Yes, egg retrieval is possible without IVF injections and it’s called Natural IVF.
Natural IVF is IVF without the use of medications to stimulate ovulation. Natural IVF may be appealing because of the:
- Lower cost
- Lack of need for IVF shots and dealing with their side effects
- A faster egg retrieval process
Natural IVF can be especially beneficial for:
- Young patients with only a history of tubal disease or male factor infertility.
- Women over 40 with elevated FSH or decreased ovarian reserve, or those who haven’t had success with conventional IVF.
- Patients with a history of hormone-sensitive cancer, or a strong family history of cancer.