HCG injection

Currently, stimulation of ovulation with an injection of hCG is in demand. The procedure is recommended for women who do not have high-quality egg maturation. An hCG injection is an injection whose main component is human chorionic gonadotropin. Undoubtedly, after an hCG injection, the likelihood of conception increases. Why do you need to stimulate ovulation with an hCG injection? The purpose of the technique is to create eggs in the female body that are capable of fertilization.

The level of human chorionic gonadotropin increases from the moment the embryo implants in the uterus. Initially, hCG is produced by the chorionic membranes, then the placenta performs this function. If there is insufficient production of the hormone, its amount is compensated artificially. An HCG injection is prescribed for women who want to become pregnant. The injection normalizes ovulation and increases the hormonal activity of the corpus luteum.

Ovulation

The menstrual cycle is divided into two phases. In the first phase, menstrual bleeding occurs, the dominant follicle matures, and the egg is released. In the second phase, the uterus is prepared to receive the embryo, regardless of whether fertilization has occurred or not. The endometrium thickens. Having united with the sperm, the egg travels to the uterus.

If pregnancy does not occur, the concentration of estrogen and progesterone decreases. The inner layer of the uterus peels off, and menstruation begins. The ovulation phase is located between the follicle-stimulating period and the luteinizing stage. The duration takes forty-eight hours. The onset of ovulation occurs on the fourteenth day of the cycle (28-day cycle).

Methods for examining a patient before ovulation stimulation

On the eve of stimulation, it is necessary to determine the level of hormones in the woman’s blood serum several times. It is important to know not only their absolute level, but also their relationship to each other. A dynamic study allows you to establish the correct diagnosis and not perform an hCG injection without reason.

It should be remembered that the level of hormones in the body changes dynamically in different cycles. If there is currently a hormonal imbalance, then the imbalance of hormones may go away on its own by the next month. The concentration of hormones is influenced by many different factors - physical and mental stress, physical health, drinking alcohol and smoking.

Also, reference levels of hormones may be different in different laboratories. This depends on the diagnostic method and reagents used during the study. Interpretation of the study results should be carried out by specialists from the laboratory where the analysis was performed.

Stimulation of ovulation can only begin if there are appropriate indicators of the level of thyroid hormones, follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone, prolactin and testosterone. Experts know that their imbalance often prevents ovulation. If they are brought back to normal, then no hCG injection may be needed.

Before stimulating ovulation, it is necessary to perform a spermogram of the seminal fluid of her sexual partner. This is necessary in order to be sure that if IVF is necessary, reproductive specialists will have high-quality genetic material at their disposal. If a violation of the morphology of sperm is determined, then after an injection of hCG, ovulation may occur, but there will be no one to fertilize the egg. In this case, money will be wasted on stimulation and hCG injection.

The next research method, prior to ovulation stimulation and hCG injection, is to determine the patency of the fallopian tubes. To do this, hysteroscopy or laparoscopy is performed. This is not done if IVF or ICSI is planned after stimulation.

Any stimulation is carried out under the strict supervision of the attending physician and with constant monitoring on the ultrasound machine monitor of the body’s reaction to the hCG injection and the growth of follicles. Only in this way can a reproductologist make timely amendments to the stimulation program and not prescribe a hCG injection in vain. Lack of monitoring leads to undesirable consequences.

Ovulation stimulation

Lack of ovulation is the main problem of infertility. Disruption of the natural process of ovulation is caused by a disorder of hormonal regulation, inflammation of the reproductive organs, dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, thyroid gland, and stress. To correct hormone levels, a hCG injection is prescribed. To simultaneously mature several eggs, ovulation is stimulated with an injection of hCG. The injection increases the chances of fertilization and is actively used in in vitro fertilization.

When is ovulation stimulation indicated?

Stimulation of ovulation is one of the methods for eliminating infertility. It can be indicated for regular anovulatory cycles, as well as when performing assisted reproductive technologies.

Stimulation of ovulation can be carried out for conception in a natural way, with artificial insemination, as well as during in vitro fertilization. Before ovulation stimulation, the couple must undergo examinations to identify the causes of infertility. Since problems with the reproductive system can affect both women and men, both partners are examined. During diagnosis, the causes of anovulatory cycles can be identified, which can be sufficiently eliminated to restore natural ovulation (endocrine system disorders, inflammatory or infectious diseases, etc.). It is also important to check the “capacity” of male reproductive cells. Sometimes pregnancy may not occur not only due to anovulatory cycles, but also due to impaired spermatogenesis.

To detect anovulation, a woman will be prescribed the following tests over several cycles:

measurement of basal temperature;
ultrasound examinations;
blood tests for hormone levels.

Without normalizing the level of prolactin, thyroid hormones, and male sex hormones, ovulation stimulation is not carried out.

An HCG injection is used to restore ovulation. The main indication for the administration of artificial human chorionic gonadotropin is infertility.

Indications for injection:

Corpus luteum deficiency
The cause of infertility is anovulation
Stable miscarriage
Threat of spontaneous abortion

HCG injection. Contraindications:

"Young" menopause
Breast-feeding
Malignant neoplasm of the pituitary gland
Ovarian cancer
Tubal obstruction
Thyroid dysfunction
Drug immunity

Concept of ovarian stimulation

If a woman does not mature enough eggs, hormonal drugs are used to stimulate ovulation. Their selection and dosage for safe stimulation is carried out according to an individual program. As a result of treatment, one or more eggs are formed in the woman’s body, which are capable of fertilization.

Methods for restoring physiological ovulation depend only on the reasons for its absence. If the cause of the pathological condition of the female body is not correctly determined before starting treatment, then stimulation of ovulation may be ineffective. After an injection of hCG in this case, a dominant follicle does not form and ovulation does not begin.

When diagnosing “lack of ovulation,” it is very important to know that this diagnosis should absolutely not be made only based on basal temperature charts, even if the observation was carried out over several cycles. This is nonsense, which leads to overdiagnosis and the prescription of pharmaceutical drugs that women do not need, including hCG injections. After an injection of hCG performed without indications, complications may develop that will lead to serious consequences.

Basal temperature charts can only help indirectly determine whether there is ovulation in this cycle. For more serious conclusions, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination of the woman, including a gynecological examination, ultrasound examination with a vaginal probe, and determination of the level of many hormones in the blood serum. It is important to monitor the development of follicles in the ovaries over several cycles.

When is an HCG injection prescribed?

For multiple miscarriages, an hCG injection is prescribed after confirming pregnancy. In such cases, the injection is carried out in the eighth week. Therapy with artificial gonadotropin is continued for forty to forty-five days. If there is a risk of miscarriage - up to the fourteenth week inclusive.

If a woman is planning a pregnancy, an hCG injection is prescribed after the absolute maturity of the follicles has been achieved. The injection is performed once. After an injection of hCG, the egg leaves the follicle after twenty-four to thirty-six hours.

HCG injection after pregnancy using IVF

After the embryos are transferred into the woman's uterine cavity, she is given an HCG injection. This is necessary to maintain the intrauterine development of the child. When the level of this hormone increases in a woman’s body after an injection of hCG, the body “thinks” that pregnancy has occurred and begins to produce progesterone, which is very important for pregnancy. Since during in vitro fertilization the female body does not produce the required amount of pregnancy hormones, it needs to be “helped” with hormones from the outside. This happens until the female body itself begins to produce the required amount of hormones.

In addition to the hCG injection, a woman may be prescribed progesterone (also to support pregnancy). The hCG injection is usually given intramuscularly, and progesterone is taken orally in the form of tablets or vaginal suppositories.

The first check of IVF results occurs 14 days after embryo transfer.

By this time, the hCG level should increase significantly. The value of hCG can also indicate the fertility of pregnancy: the level of hCG increases in proportion to the number of fetuses.

The final confirmation of pregnancy, its location and the number of fetuses is carried out using ultrasound. HCG and progesterone support can last up to 12 weeks or more as prescribed by your doctor.

Pregnancy test after hCG injection

Usually after an hCG injection, ovulation occurs within a day. Once the egg has been released, supportive therapy is prescribed: progesterone medications. Next, the time of sexual intercourse is calculated, the result of which will be the reunification of the sperm with the egg. If the spermogram is ideal, the procedure is carried out every other day. If the stimulation of ovulation with an hCG injection ends successfully, the long-awaited pregnancy occurs.

A pregnancy test should be performed when the artificial hCG has completely “left” the body - after two weeks. If you do not follow the recommendations, pregnancy tests after an hCG injection will be incorrect.

Stimulating ovulation with an hCG injection increases the chances of conception. However, there are contraindications to the procedure:

Inflammation of the ovaries
Serious hormonal imbalances
Age restrictions
Allergic reactions

Stimulation of ovulation with an hCG injection should be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. Illiterate therapy is the cause of problems in the female body.

Choosing the right clinic is the first step towards achieving your goal. Qualified medical care, a diagnostic laboratory, psychological support, the latest equipment - this is an incomplete range of services offered by the IVF Center in Kursk.

Superovulation after hCG injection

Superovulation is one of the necessary stages of IVF. Normally, a woman produces one egg per menstrual cycle. Sometimes, very rarely, there may be more of them, resulting in twins or triplets. The maturation of more than one egg in the natural cycle is an uncontrolled process and cannot be used in in vitro fertilization.

For IVF, several eggs are used: among them, the highest quality ones are selected, which after fertilization are transplanted into the woman’s body. For transfer, 2 cultured embryos are usually used to increase the success of the IVF procedure. The effectiveness of one IVF procedure is 30-40%. Therefore, transferring more than one embryo increases the chances of implantation. For example, the efficiency of natural fertilization is about 20% in each menstrual cycle. However, IVF is often not recommended. Firstly, during the IVF process, a woman undergoes hormonal therapy, which should be carried out no more than once every 3-4 months. Secondly, IVF is an expensive procedure that takes time to repeat for many couples. In any case, repeating IVF is an individual matter and will depend on the woman’s condition.

Stimulation of superovulation begins with the administration of gonadotropic drugs for the growth and development of follicles with eggs. The duration of use of the drugs is approximately 10 days from the 2nd day of the menstrual cycle. The dose and timing of drug administration are determined strictly individually by the attending physician.

Observation of the growth and development of follicles occurs using ultrasound. When the follicles become the size necessary for ovulation (about 20-25 mm), an hCG injection is prescribed. The hCG injection serves as a kind of “trigger” for ovulation, while preventing the regression of follicles and the formation of follicular cysts.

After an hCG injection, ovulation occurs approximately 24-36 hours later, and is monitored using ultrasound.

Next, the woman undergoes a puncture of the ovaries to collect germ cells. On the same day, the man donates sperm.

Among male and female germ cells, the highest quality and most viable ones are selected. The cells are placed on a special nutrient medium that is maximally adapted to the natural environment of the fallopian tubes where they will connect. The resulting zygotes continue to be cultured in the incubator until the blastocyst phase. Next, the highest quality embryos are transplanted into the uterine cavity, where they are implanted into its walls and continue to develop.

The IVF procedure is performed at the IVF Center clinic in Smolensk. The clinic’s specialists have extensive experience in treating infertility of various etiologies.