IVF INFORMATION
LINKS AND RESOURCES ON
INFERTILITY AND INVITRO
FERTILIZATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why birth control pills while I'm trying to conceive?
BCP's are used mainly as a scheduling tool. If you're put on bcp's on the cycle prior to the IVF, it's easier to schedule you Lupron start date, baseline u/s and b/w, stims and start date.
How long will it take to be surpressed on Lupron?
The average time is 10-12 days
What are the side effects of Lupron?
Hot flashes, headaches, mood swings, breast tenderness. Some women
experience all or none of these symptoms
How many days will I be on stims?
7-12 days but could be longer
What are the side effects of the stims?
Abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, weight gain, fatigue
What is ICSI?
With ICSI a single sperm is injected into an egg. Used for male factor infertility
What is baby aspirin used for?
Studies have shown that taking baby aspirin during an IVF cycle improves
pregnancy rates, endo thickness and follicle development
When is a follicle mature?
A follicle is mature when it is at least 16mm on an HMG like Pergonal and
18mm on a recombinent like Gonal
What should the uterine lining be at transfer?
Ideally it should be 8mm or higher
How long does the HCG shot stay in your system?
Up to 2 weeks
When is implantation?
Implantation occurs 6-10 days after retrieval
When is the earliest I can take a HPT?
You could probably get an accurate result 12 days post transfer
What is the most sensitive HPT?
Confirm 1-step and CVS detect 25 mIU, e.p.t. 40 mIU, Clearblue Easy and Selfcare 50 mIU
What is a chemical pregnancy?
A chemical pregnancy refers to a pregnancy in which the embryo did not develop or failed earlier than 6 1/2 weeks. When a sonogram is performed only the gestational sac that would have surrounded the embryo is seen
What is microdose Lupron?
Microdose Lupron refers the the use of a very small dose the the medication: as low as 1/50 of the typically prescribed doese. Microdose Lupron may be as small as 20-40 micrograms twice a day, in comparison to the typical dose of 0.5-1 milligrams per day. Typically microdose regimens are reserved for women who have not had a good response to treatment with the traditional long protocol.
What is Lupron "flare" or "short" protocol?
Flare or short protocol requires a shorter time administering Lupron compared to the long protocol. The short protocol takes advantage of what is known as the "flare" effect that occurs with Lupron and the other GnRH agonists. With the long protocol Lupron actually shuts down or blocks the release of FSH and LH allowing your RE to use other medications for timing ovulation and egg retrieval. Short term use with Lupron is different, because its initial effect is to stimulate the release of FSH and LH. This initial stimulation lasts approximately 1 week. Then suppression of these hormones begins. In the short protocol, Lupron is started early at the beginning of the IVF cycle. The doses of the stim meds may be lower than doses used in the long protocol. The length of treatment may be shortened by about a week compared to the long protocol.