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Some causes of infertility can be effectively treated with ovulation induction - or superovulation therapy. During superovulation therapy, the woman is treated with medications that increase the number of eggs she produces each month (normally it is one). At the appropriate time, sperm will be introduced into the uterine cavity, a process called intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Causes of infertility that can be treated with this therapy include ovarian dysfunction (inability to ovulate optimally on your own), infertility associated with endometriosis, cervical factor infertility, and unexplained infertility (infertility in which the exact cause cannot be identified).
How Superovulation Therapy Works
The first step in superovulation therapy is to administer medications which should increase the number of mature eggs produced by the ovaries. During the normal reproductive cycle, two hormones -
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) - are required to initiate and complete the process of egg maturation. Medications are administered to women either orally or by injection to increase levels of both LH and FSH. Fertility is then further enhanced by performing an appropriately timed intrauterine insemination (IUI) with semen from your partner or a donor. The semen sample is prepared in a way that allows us to place an enriched, highly motile concentrate of sperm directly into your uterus through the cervix. The result is an increase in the number of mature eggs, as well as motile sperm, within your reproductive tract, which enhances the likelihood that conception will occur and you will become pregnant.
Commonly Used Medications
Clomiphene citrate (Clomid® or Serophene®) can be taken orally to promote the process of egg maturation. We monitor the progress with ultrasounds or home ovulation-predictor kits. Once we learn that ovulation is impending, we perform an appropriately timed intrauterine insemination.
An alternative approach uses injectable medications containing FSH with or without LH (Gonal-F®, Antagon®, Repronex®, or Follistim®) and results in a higher likelihood of conception than with
clomiphene citrate. This is because a larger number of eggs are developed compared to clomiphene citrate. To assess the process of egg maturation while you are being treated with these medications, several ultrasounds and samplings of your blood hormone levels (including estrogen) are performed. Once the eggs have matured adequately, ovulation is induced typically with a hormone called hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and an intrauterine insemination is performed.
Contacting Us
To make an appointment or for more information about our full range of fertility services, you can call us at (203) 750-7400 or contact us online. Our comprehensive and user-friendly website contains information all about us, our programs and services, and directions to The Center. It also includes an educational area to help you learn about infertility in general, and a glossary of infertility-related terms.
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Under the Direction of Richard T. Scott, Jr., M.D., FACOG, HCLD, Practice Director
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Fairfield County
Norwalk and Danbury Offices
Joshua Hurwitz, M.D.
Mark P. Leondires, M.D.
Spencer Richlin, M.D.
Directions
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Westchester County
John J. Stangel, M.D.
70 Maple Avenue
Rye, NY
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