Ovulation Induction is a technique that uses medications to stimulate ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary.

Ovulation induction for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) involves using medications to stimulate ovulation in women who experience irregular or absent ovulation. Common treatments include letrozole and clomiphene citrate, which help promote the release of eggs from the ovaries, improving chances of conception.

Common Fertility Drugs Used for Ovulation Induction

Clomiphene citrate (Clomid): Clomid is an oral medication that induces ovulation by blocking estrogen receptors. This causes your body to believe estrogen is low, and it responds by producing more FSH. At low doses, Clomid can be used to get a single follicle to grow and a single egg to be released. At higher doses, it can be used for superovulation (see below).

Letrozole (Femara): Letrozole is an oral medication that works by lowering estrogen production, which then results in higher FSH production by the body. Like Clomid, Letrozole can be used for both ovulation induction and superovulation. It is the first-line choice for ovulation induction in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as studies have shown it is more effective than Clomid in this population of people specifically.

Gonadotropins (Menopur, Gonal-F, Follistim): Gonadotropins are injectable medications that are composed of either FSH, or FSH and LH. They are stronger than oral agents and are often used in people who do not respond to Clomid or letrozole. They can also be used in combination with oral medications to achieve superovulation in people aged 40 or older, when the goal is to get multiple follicles to develop. Ultrasound monitoring and blood estrogen measurements are almost always required when gonadotropins are used, in order to assess the ovarian response and minimize the risk of complications.

Ovulation Induction can be beneficial for couples struggling from the following fertility hurdles:

• Women with irregular or absent ovulation: Aspiring mothers who experience irregular or absolute absence of periods and ovulation cycles can benefit from it. The procedure can manipulate certain hormones that might be preventing ovulation and regulate ovulation.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Women with PCOS have an excessive amount of male hormone, androgen in their body. This hormone affects periods and ovulation. Aspiring women with PCOS can benefit from it.
• Male factor infertility: It is when a male has low sperm count, sperm abnormalities such as poor motility and abnormal morphology, or a blockage that is preventing the delivery of sperm. Such couples can benefit from ovulation induction in conjunction with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) or IMSI (intracytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection).
• Unexplained infertility: Unexplained infertility is when fertility testing fails to conclude or explain one’s infertility. In most cases, unexplained infertility is concerned with fallopian tube blockage, poor egg or sperm health, or chromosomal abnormalities that lead to conception failures. The ovulation stimulation procedure can be beneficial for such couples as well.