IVF monitoring
Written by: Dr. Mohammed Agdi
On the first day of your period (normal flow) you have to call our coordinator to schedule an appointment on day 2-3 of your period to have ultrasound scan done and necessary blood work. On the same day of ultrasound, your physician will review your case and, depending on the results, you will start ovarian stimulation using daily Gonadotropins injection starting from day 2-3 and may last for 8-12 days depending on ovarian response. The daily dose of medications will be decided by your physician tailored to your case. You need to be monitored, during this period, for 3-4 times as required. Example of medications:
• Gonal F Pen: is given subcutaneously. Gonal F comes in multi-dose Pen (300 – 450 – 900 - 1200 IU).
• Menopur: is given subcutaneously. Menopur comes in ampule (75 – 600 – 1200 IU).
• Merional: is given intramuscular or subcutaneously. Merional comes in ampule (75 – 150 IU).
• Menogon: is given intramuscular or subcutaneously. Merional comes in ampule (75 IU).
Additional drugs for example like ‘Cetrotide 0.25 mg’ will be added during the process of ovarian stimulation in order to control the cycle. These medications must be taken according to the date decided by your physician and usually it is started after 4 days from ovarian stimulation.
Please take all these medications at the same time. Preferably, you propose a time between noon time to sunset but NOT too early in the morning or too late in the evening.
Some medications are self-injectable ‘under the skin of abdomen or thighs’ and our nursing staff will teach on how to do that by yourself or your husband. Some other medications are given as intramuscular injection; therefore a nurse has to give the injection. You will receive detailed written instructions for each medication alone .
Once reasonable numbers of mature follicles are developed, you will be given HCG injection to promote final egg maturation. Around 36 hours after HCG injection, your will be scheduled for the procedure of egg collection. This injection is vital and essential for egg collection and MUST be taken on the correct date and time.
Your husband is required to have abstinence 2-4 days before the day egg collection.
Please be aware that the goal of close monitoring is to control the treatment cycle and produce mature eggs. In case of, either over response or under response, your physician may cancel the cycle and adjust the treatment plan for the future cycle.