• Contacts
• Glossary
• Costs

Stimulation

For IVF/ICSI drugs are used to stimulate the production of several mature eggs, while careful monitoring is necessary to control the exact timing of egg recovery.  The treatment usually involves two kinds of medication.

The first drug is given to reduce the level of your own hormones (down-regulation).  This drug is continued during stimulation to suppress your own hormones thus preventing premature release of the eggs.  A blood test and a vaginal scan is carried out by one of the fertility nurses to confirm down-regulation before starting to stimulate the ovaries.  For further information see (PI-AR-0007).

The ovaries are then stimulated with a course of injections usually lasting at least 10 days.  The dose and number of injections required to achieve a satisfactory response is unpredictable in advance and will vary according to the individual's response.