Drugs used in ivf

[MrsDarcy4092]

Hi
I wondered if the drugs used in ivf are standard and just dosages change or are there many different drugs clinics can choose between?
If drugs are the same can you tell me what they are please. I'm doing some research prior to a endocrine consultation today

[Chocolatteaddict1]

No I think there are many drugs depending on what the fertility issue is.

We had the same drugs for the frozen cycles but under different brand names.

[bananafish81]

Stimulation drugs fall into different permutations

FSH only:
Recombinant FSH (synthetic, lab made) - e.g Gonal-F, Puregon
Naturally derived FSH - e.g. Fostimon

FSH + LH
Recombinant FSH+LH - e.g Merional
Naturally derived FSH+LH - e.g. Merional

There's different trigger injections (hCG)
Recombinant hCG - e.g Ovitrelle
Naturally derived hCG - e.g. Pregnyl

Then progesterone comes in different formulations:
Progesterone in oil IM injection - Gestone
Progesterone SubQ injection - Lubion
Progesterone vaginal gel - Crinone
Progesterone pessaries - Cyclogest

Oestrogen comes in different formulations:
Pills - e.g Progynova
Patches - e.g. Estraderm
Vaginal tablets - e.g. Estrofem

[SesameSparkle]

Hi the main categories of drug for ivf are:

• to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs
  
• to stop you ovulating before the eggs can be collected
  
• to mature your eggs ready for collection
  
• to support a pregnancy
  

There are different choices of drugs in each of these categories - as banana said - and different protocols for how they are used. They can vary the dosage too.

How did your appointment go?

[bananafish81]

Yes there's also :

GnRh agonists:
Buserelin injections or nasal spray
Naferelin nasal spray

GnRh antagonists:
Cetrotide or Orgalutran / Ganirelix

[MrsDarcy4092]

my appointment was good thank you. I have a non cancerous tumour and have been worrying about whether the ivf drugs could trigger changes in the tumor but the endocrinologist i saw said ivf and in fact pregnancy "shouldn't" affect it. I think thats the best reassurance i am going to get :)

I had been considering going for natural ivf to be safe but i think now i could go with conventional which is good as we found a clinic we really like and they do not offer natural ivf.

[SesameSparkle]

That's good that you get the go ahead to try ivf. If you've found a clinic that you're comfortable with that's important. I'm doing a natural cycle myself but the only reason I'm doing it is because I've got a very low egg reserve, so even if they gave me loads of stimulation meds I'd only ever produce one egg. But more eggs increases your chances, so if you know it's going to be safe for you to do it, you're better off taking the stims. Good luck for your next steps.