You will receive drugs to encourage follicle production after your own reproductive hormone cycle has been switched off (or “downregulated” - see step 1). You will need to carry on taking your downregulation drugs at the same time as you take your follicle stimulating drugs.
A follicle is simply an immature egg surrounded by a bubble of fluid. Follicles can be found on the outer wall of the ovaries.
Follicle production takes place naturally in the ovaries once a month. A natural hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH for short) tells the ovaries when to produce follicles. This hormone also encourages the follicles to grow. Eventually, there is usually only one follicle that grows to the right size and bursts. When this follicle bursts it releases an egg into your fallopian tubes.
Drugs that are given to encourage follicle production work in a similar way to FSH. These drugs do, however, encourage the growth of many more follicles than would normally grow in your ovaries at any one time. As follicles contain eggs, this means that there will hopefully be many more eggs available for collection.
Drugs that encourage follicle production are called Merional, Menopur, Gonadal-F and Puregon. They are all given by daily injections. Staff at the Unit will teach you how to do this yourself.
Remember, your drug regime will be PERSONALISED TO YOU. It is vitally important that you take these drugs correctly every day, so please, please, ask if there is anything that you are not sure about.
Our dedicated scan room
We will want to monitor you closely whilst you are taking drugs for downregulation (see step 1) and follicle production. This is done using ultrasound scans. Ultrasound scans use sound waves to see inside the body. The scans are painless and completely safe.
The scans will be carried out in a dedicated scan room at the IVF Unit by an ultrasonographer. An ultrasonographer is someone who is specially trained and registered to perform ultrasound scans. The ultrasonographer will come and find you in the IVF Unit waiting room to show you to the scan room. Please remember to tell the reception staff at the Unit that you are waiting. You can bring your partner or a friend with you for the scan. Alternatively, we can arrange a chaperone for you if you wish.
You will need to visit the toilet before you have your scan, as it can be a little uncomfortable if your bladder is full. A full bladder will also make it difficult for the ultrasonographer to see your ovaries and womb properly.
The scan involves placing a small plastic device (probe) next to your body to see inside. The ultrasonographer will need to place the device as close as possible to your ovaries and womb to see them clearly. To do this they will need to place the device inside your vagina (a vaginal ultrasound). Don’t worry, the plastic device is not very big (about as wide as slim curling tongs) and the ultrasonographer will use plenty of lubricant, so the scan should not be uncomfortable. The device is covered in a single-use protective sheath (like a condom) before it is placed inside your vagina.
The scan will enable the ultrasonographer to check that the drugs for downregulation have worked (see step 1). They will also be able to count and measure the follicles growing in your ovaries. By counting and measuring your growing follicles, we will know when you are ready to have your eggs collected (step 5).
You will be given all the drugs you need to prepare for egg collection at your last scan appointment.