Can an HCG injection help you get pregnant? When to take pregnancy tests after an hCG injection? After an injection of hCG 5000 when ovulation occurs

Many patients are concerned about the answer to the question: “The hCG 5000 injection was performed, how long after ovulation?” To understand the principle of action of human chorionic gonadotropin, you need to carefully understand its properties.

This hormone is indispensable if a woman plans to conceive and carry a child. However, there are situations when not enough of it is produced naturally, and it is because of this that pregnancy is impossible. In such a situation, a doctor may prescribe an injection of a synthetic analogue of this hormone.

Ask your gynecologist when ovulation occurs after an hCG injection. Here, a lot depends on the amount of active substance and the individual characteristics of the expectant mother’s body.

HCG injections for ovulation are made from a protein structure contained in the urine of a woman carrying a baby. The substance can activate the natural production of sex hormones. HCG for injection can have different medical names - Menogon, Novarel, etc. The doctor performs an injection with a special insulin syringe into the groin area. The main indications for such a procedure can be considered:

  • Pathologies accompanied by ovarian dysfunction.
  • Painful periods, clear signs of PMS.
  • Infertility is associated with the lack of release of an egg or the formation of a dominant follicle.
  • Suppression of the corpus luteum.
  • Frequent cases of spontaneous abortion.
  • Stimulation of the formation of an active egg during preparation for the IVF protocol.

Ovulation

With some ovarian pathologies, ovulation is impossible and the patient is unable to become pregnant. This situation is possible due to polycystic disease, neoplasms, and even prolonged stress.

The follicle with the egg may not form at all or may not form completely. In some patients, a mature egg is not able to exit the corpus luteum. It is recommended that the patient be given an injection of hCG to activate the production of follicles and the formation of a healthy egg.

Immediately before the procedure, you must undergo a diagnostic test. If during an ultrasound examination the physician discovers that follicles are beginning to form, a hormone injection is prescribed at a dosage of 1500 - 5000 units. If the patient is preparing for artificial conception and superovulation is needed, a substance with a volume of 10,000 units is administered.

How long does it take for ovulation to occur after an HCG 10,000 injection? Doctors say that the egg is fully formed and leaves the ovary within 1-1.5 days after the procedure. To monitor the patient's condition, an ovulation test and ultrasound are performed. If the egg is not mature, it is recommended to increase the dosage in the next menstrual cycle.

A maximum of 36 hours after the injection of hCG 10,000, full ovulation should occur. If you are planning a pregnancy, try to have as many sexual acts as possible in a given period of time.

There are cases when, after the administration of the hormone, ovulation does not begin, but the corpus luteum continues to develop and gradually transforms into a cyst. An hCG injection is a single stimulation procedure, but not a method of treating infertility.

There is no need to take an ovulation test within 3 days after the injection, as it is guaranteed to be positive. If conception has occurred, the hCG hormone in the body begins to rise. A decrease in the concentration of the substance in the blood may indicate a threat of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, placental insufficiency, or pathologies of embryo development.

To determine the exact cause of the decrease in the production of the hCG hormone, the patient needs to undergo an ultrasound examination. With normal fetal development, the concentration of the hCG hormone increases until the 11th week, and then decreases and stops at a certain level until the baby is born.

Complications

Any introduction of a hormonal drug disrupts the natural processes in the body. As a result of an incorrectly selected concentration, the patient may experience complications - a cyst, fluid accumulation, thrombosis, hyperstimulation, accompanied by shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and strong heartbeat.

Some patients may experience nausea, vomiting, or depression after administration of hCG. As soon as the treatment is over, the unpleasant symptoms will disappear.

An injection of the hCG hormone is necessary to stimulate ovulation and further support pregnancy. This treatment is prescribed to patients who do not have enough natural hormones or have certain pathologies in the functioning of the ovaries.

The physician individually selects the appropriate course of therapy and dosage of the drug for each patient. Pregnancy should occur in the first few cycles after the injection.

For women experiencing difficulties conceiving and bearing a fetus, modern gynecology offers the help of medications based on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and clomiphene. These means are also an integral part of assisted artificial reproduction technologies - techniques:

  • ICSI;
  • IVF IMSI;
  • GIFT;
  • ZIFT.

Ovulation stimulation

Providing a medicinal effect on egg maturation is a process that requires special training, functional support and monitoring, and compliance with precautions. Drug stimulation of ovulation: choice of drugs, their dosage and regimen - the procedure is extremely responsible and should be performed only under the direct supervision of the attending physician.

The protocol for the procedure for drug stimulation of ovulation is strictly individual for each couple and includes:

  • a schedule indicating the exact time for individual examinations and tests;
  • selection of specific drugs, their dosage, schedule and time of use;
  • preferred method of fertilization;
  • ultrasound monitoring schedule for follicle development and the first weeks of embryonic development.

Indications

Stimulation of ovulation has a very powerful effect on the ovaries, can be used no more than 6 times during the reproductive period of a woman’s life, therefore it is prescribed only in case of its long-term absence.

For women under the age of 35, such “help” is resorted to if, in the absence of obvious diseases that prevent pregnancy and with regular unprotected sex for more than one year, the couple is unable to conceive a fetus naturally. After 35, this period of time of unsuccessful attempts is reduced to six months.

Stimulation will not give a positive result if, when choosing a recovery technique, the doctor has not precisely established the reason why the egg does not mature. During the above-mentioned time, you should carefully measure and draw up a basal temperature chart. It is recommended to take tests several times to check your hormonal levels. It is possible that when the normal ratio of estrogen, androgens and progesterone is restored, the levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and pituitary gland (TSH and prolactin) are normalized, the ovulatory cycle will be completely restored.

It would also be absolutely justified for your partner to undergo a spermogram. Even if, before these attempts, he already had his own children or his previous partners became pregnant, it is still necessary to check the “combat readiness” of the sperm at the moment.

Confirmation for use

The basis for conducting auxiliary stimulation of the ovaries is the result of ultrasound monitoring, confirming a violation of the development of follicles and the corpus luteum. This observation is carried out according to the following schedule - the first study is carried out 8-10 days after the end of menstruation, then every 2-3 days until the next critical days.

Contraindications

In any case, ovulation stimulation is not carried out under the following conditions or diseases:

  • renal and/or liver failure;
  • endometriosis, uterine bleeding for unknown reasons;
  • obstruction of the fallopian tubes, ovarian cyst, the presence of neoplasms on the genital organs, malignant ovarian tumor;
  • thrombophlebitis or predisposition to it;
  • pathologically early menopause;
  • thyroid hypothyroidism;
  • during breastfeeding;
  • pituitary tumors;
  • individual intolerance.

Preparation

Before performing stimulation, be sure to:

  • Check individual tolerance to stimulating hormonal drugs.
  • Obtain a physician's opinion on the ability to bear a child.
  • Do a blood test for the simultaneous determination of FSH, LH and prolactin, and also evaluate the hormonal status of the reproductive system by examining the levels of DHEA-S, TSH, free T3, total T4, SHBG, estradiol, 17-OH Progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, estrone, DHEAS , LH - RH. Determine the circadian cycle of cortisol. Do tests: suppression with dexamethasone, stimulation with ACTH, LH - RH.
  • Eliminate contraindications and, if necessary, undergo a course of preliminary estrogen therapy.
  • Make sure the partner’s sperm are capable of functioning- take a spermogram.
  • Get tested - extensive ELISA, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C.
  • Perform a general and oncocytological examination of a vaginal smear, including culture for the presence of ureaplasma, mycoplasma, trichomonas, chlamydia, gardnerella and candida.
  • Check the patency of the fallopian tubes using any of the available methods.
  • Conduct hysteroscopy of the uterine cavity according to indications (inflammation or trauma to the mucous membrane).
  • Undergo an ultrasound to check the condition of the endometrium, ovaries and mammary glands.
  • Make sure there are no acute inflammatory processes in the body.

Great importance should be paid to early support of the body with the help of a balanced diet, normalization of sleep patterns and vitamin therapy, where, first of all, pay attention to saturation with folic acid and control the proper intake of potassium iodide.

Stages of stimulation

The specific date and duration of assisted stimulation of the ovaries is determined during the preparation of an individual protocol. Monitoring using ultrasound is carried out starting from the 2nd day after taking the first hormonal drug, and is repeated every 2-3 days, until the positive dynamics of embryo development in the first weeks of pregnancy.

If during initial monitoring it was found that the dominant follicle independently and normally develops to the required size, but cannot rupture on its own, but regresses or turns into a cyst, then in such cases, only an hCG injection is used, which serves as an artificial stimulus for rupture. If ovulation does not occur for other reasons, then administration of human chorionic gonadotropin alone is not enough and the following step-by-step actions are performed.

Follicle maturation and clomiphene preparations

Clostilbegit tablets are the most common clomiphene-based product, which enhances the production of FSH and LH and, thereby, stimulates the development of follicles.

Classic scheme - taking Clostilbegit tablets from the 5th to the 9th day of the menstrual cycle, with a mandatory ultrasound on the 7th and 9th day and a subsequent hCG-stimulating injection of Pregnil, Horagon or Profasi. The time period for taking the tablets can vary from 2 (3) to 7 (10) days, if the doctor considers it necessary to use more gentle varieties of human chorionic gonadotropin - menopausal or laboratory recombinant.

To maintain hormonal balance, in parallel with clomiphene tablets, medications containing estrogen are prescribed - for example, Proginova tablets. These medications are started at the same time. Estrogen withdrawal occurs on day 21 of the menstrual cycle.

Refusal to use clomiphene-containing drugs and a fundamental revision of infertility treatment tactics (for example, replacement with Gonal, Puregon, Menogon) occurs only after three unsuccessful attempts to conceive.

Oocyte maturation and hCG injection

When an ultrasound examination shows that the selected one or more follicles have grown in size to 17-18 mm, an hCG injection should be given, which will promote the final maturation of oocytes (immature eggs), rupture of the follicle walls and the release of a mature egg from the ovarian body.

After an injection of gonadotropin hormone, the ovaries increase in size and cause a feeling of discomfort in the lower abdomen. However this condition is not a 100% guarantee of follicle rupture, release of the egg and requires confirmation by ultrasound.

Onset of ovulation and fertilization

Regardless of the dosage of the injection, 5000 or 10000, the process of maturation and release of the egg ends 42-48 hours after the injection.

If the protocol provides for artificial insemination outside the female body, then puncture of the follicles is prescribed between 24 and 36 hours after the injection of human chorionic gonadotropin.

In the case of fertilization of the egg naturally, sexual intercourse should be carried out daily - the day before, on the day of the hCG injection and for the next 2 days.

Important - the decisive point is the exact adherence to the estimated time of administration of human chorionic gonadotropin, and not how many units of the hormone will be administered.

Embryonic development and progesterone

Immediately after ovulation, for additional support, insurance and facilitation of the work of the corpus luteum, estrogen intake is canceled and progesterone-based tablets are prescribed - or Utrozhestan. Progesterone helps prepare the inner layer of the uterus for implantation (attachment) of a fertilized egg and helps maintain pregnancy in the first weeks of embryo development. Maintenance use of progestin medications continues until the placenta fully develops.

Dosage

Clostilbegit tablets are taken one piece once a day.

The hCG injection can be performed only once during the entire treatment cycle. The choice of drug and its dosage remains solely within the competence of the doctor. As a rule, a gonadotropin injection is given once in a dosage of 5000 or 10,000 IU. The drug is a dry powder, which must be diluted immediately before the injection with the accompanying solvent. The intramuscular injection is performed by the woman independently and is painless. It is important to carefully monitor compliance with the dosage, since exceeding it will lead to hyperstimulation, egg death and ovarian depletion, and underestimation will not give the desired result.

There is also a practice when amendments are made to the protocol for administering gonadotropic hormone and injections are performed several times in one cycle. If the follicles have reached the required size (20-25 mm), and ovulation has not occurred, then a second injection of hCG may be prescribed to re-stimulate wall rupture and prevent the formation of follicular cysts. One more additional injection is possible to help the corpus luteum. The dosage of these injections is small (300 - 1500 IU). How many specific units will be administered is decided by the doctor.

An overdose during stimulation - an excess of gonadotropin - can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or result in ovarian rupture. Using the drug more than 6 times threatens ovarian depletion and early menopause.

HCG injection during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is necessary to monitor the dynamics of gonadotropin levels: after conception, its level doubles every 2-3 days; by the end of the first trimester it reaches maximum levels” then decreases slightly and should remain unchanged until childbirth. If such monitoring shows a decrease in the concentration or a complete stop in the production of human chorionic gonadotropin, then to maintain pregnancy, prevent fetal failure or the threat of miscarriage, hCG injections are prescribed, which will maintain gonadotropin levels within normal limits depending on the duration of pregnancy. Typically, the dosage ranges from 1000 to 3000 IU.

Now that many couples have problems conceiving, the ability to induce pregnancy is of great importance. One such method is induction ovulation after hCG.

Is a repeating sequence of physiological processes. First, the inner lining of the uterus that is not useful for feeding the embryo is removed. Then one of the primary follicles begins its journey to maturity. The inner layer of the uterus is restored, ready to receive a fertilized egg.

After reaching certain growth parameters, the egg leaves the ovary and travels along the fallopian tube. From the devastated follicle, a follicle is formed that supports the resulting pregnancy with hormones. If conception does not occur, the circle closes and menstrual bleeding begins. This cycle of changes is called ovulatory. But this doesn't always happen. Normally, a healthy woman can go through 1-2 menstrual cycles without releasing an egg. Such periods are called anovulatory periods. Why is this happening? Mechanisms of anovulation development:

  • There is a physical obstacle to the release of the egg (in polycystic ovarian sclerosis syndrome).
  • The follicle does not have time to mature completely (if the cycle is too short).
  • The egg does not develop and does not reach viability (due to dysfunction of hormonal regulation)

Several methods are used to achieve ovulation:

  • Normalization of the work and rest regime of the diet.
  • Surgical treatment.
  • one or more drugs.

After a detailed examination of the couple (the latest spermogram result must be within normal limits), the doctor may decide to carry out drug stimulation of ovulation (induction). There is a wide range of medicines for this. One of them is hCG. Like other induction methods, it can only be prescribed by a doctor. This also applies to the choice of dosage of the administered agent.

The expected ovulation after hCG is realized in full because its effect is similar to the effect of luteinizing hormone. Under its influence, the egg matures and breaks through from the ovary. Particularly important is the effect on the body aimed at creating conditions for a favorable course of pregnancy when it occurs. It not only potentiates ovulation, but also prevents cystic degeneration of follicles capable of normal development and regression of the corpus luteum. Therefore, it can also be used after fertilization.

How long does it take to ovulate after a hCG injection?

To select the day of administration of this drug, it is necessary to be guided by the results of instrumental (ultrasound) and laboratory (hormonal status) methods, and not just calendar ones. Correctly chosen timing of induction will lead to a positive result. It is determined by achieving the optimal follicle size. Ovulation after the administration of hCG will appear after 24-48 hours.

Taking into account the speed of development of the effect from the administration of the drug, the life expectancy of the sperm and egg, sexual life for couples planning to conceive naturally is recommended according to an individual schedule prescribed by a doctor, taking into account physiological characteristics. This is where a good spermogram comes in handy.

Ovulation test after hCG injection

It is not the fact of its occurrence that shows, as it may seem. It reflects fluctuations in the level of Luteinizing Hormone (LH). It is its increase that can be interpreted as the release of the egg from the follicle. But this opinion is wrong.

Such an increase can be observed in other cases of natural (dishormonal shift), artificial (administration of drugs) and food (taking phytohormones) genesis.

Due to the fact that the molecular structure of hCG is close to LH, the ovulation test after its administration will be positive, but it will not reflect the onset of ovulation after hCG, but the presence of the drug in the body. A similar reaction will be observed for about 10 days. Therefore, the first pregnancy test should be performed no earlier than 14-15 days after the date of expected conception.

In any case of taking hCG, you must remember:

  • Only a doctor can prescribe the drug (taking into account the characteristics of a woman’s particular body).
  • Not all forms of anovulation require this drug.
  • The timing of the administration of hCG, sexual intercourse, and ultrasound monitoring must be strictly observed.
  • This stimulation method is not a panacea and its effectiveness is not 100%.
  • To conceive, you need not only an egg, but also high-quality sperm.
  • Monitoring the onset of ovulation when taking hCG should be instrumental (ultrasound), and not laboratory (test).

Anna Mironova


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The level of the pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta (hCG - human chorionic gonadotropin) increases in the female body every day from the moment of fertilization. Thanks to modern medicine, this hormone is created artificially to help treat anovulation in women (a disorder of the menstrual cycle, as a result of which the long-awaited conception does not occur). What is a hCG injection, and in what cases is this method of treatment used? When to do tests after an hCG injection? How many days does it take for the hCG 10,000 injection to be completely eliminated from the body?

Why is an injection of hCG 10,000 prescribed?

With regular absence of ovulation A woman who seeks medical help is often recommended to do so. A few days after stimulation, the first procedure is prescribed Ultrasound , after which this examination is repeated every few days to monitor follicle growth to the required dimensions (twenty to twenty-five mm). Once the required follicle size is reached, an hCG injection is prescribed.

  • The hormone “triggers” ovulation.
  • Prevents follicle regression that can develop into follicular cysts.

Injection dose taken - from 5000 to 10000 units . Ovulation usually happens one day after the injection .

HCG and its effect on pregnancy

The production of the hCG hormone begins from the moment the embryo is implanted in the uterus and continues for all nine months. Based on the presence of the hormone in the female body, we can say about pregnancy . Further, based on its quantitative content, possible violations of the ongoing pregnancy are judged. Thanks to hCG test , you can confirm the fact of pregnancy as early as possible (already on the sixth day after fertilization). This is the most reliable and early method of determining pregnancy, in comparison with traditional test strips. The main function of hCG is to maintain pregnancy and control (in the first trimester) over the production of estrogen and progesterone. Stopping the synthesis of hCG leads to disruption of the production of substances necessary for the fetus. In these cases, the hCG deficiency is replenished artificially, through intramuscular injection. These hCG injections are prescribed in the following cases:

  • For nutrition and maintaining the viability of the corpus luteum until the placenta begins to independently produce the hormones necessary for a successful pregnancy.
  • To form the placenta itself .
  • To stimulate ovulation and supporting the viability of the corpus luteum during pregnancy planning.
  • To prepare for .

Indications for hCG injection

Contraindications for hCG injection

When is an HCG injection given?

When to do ovulation tests after an hCG injection?

The onset of ovulation after an hCG injection occurs within a day (maximum thirty-six hours), after which additional support for the ovaries is prescribed with the help progesterone or utrogestan . Based on the male factor, the timing and frequency of sexual intercourse are assigned individually. If the spermogram is normal - one day (every day) after the hCG injection and until the formation of the corpus luteum. When to do tests?

  • The day of testing depends on the cycle. As you know, the first day of the cycle is the first day of menstruation, and its length is the number of days from the first day of menstruation until the first (inclusive) day of the next one. With a regular cycle, tests begin seventeen days before the start of the next menstruation (after ovulation, the corpus luteum phase lasts about two weeks). For example, with a cycle length of twenty-eight days, testing is carried out starting from the eleventh day.
  • For different cycle durations, select the shortest cycle in six months. Its duration is used to determine the testing day.
  • If there are delays of more than a month, and the cycles are not at all constant, then it is irrational to use tests (given their high cost) without control over follicles and ovulation.
  • Preferably start applying tests daily immediately after diagnosis by ultrasound, achieving the desired follicle size (twenty mm).


It should be remembered that ovulation tests are not informative immediately after hCG injections due to the possible influence of TSH, FSH hormones and dietary habits on the results. Therefore, you should not rely only on tests. It is preferable to use more reliable diagnostic methods (for example, ultrasound ).

When to take pregnancy tests after an hCG injection?

How many days does it take for the hCG 10,000 injection to be completely eliminated from the body? This question worries many. Within ten to twelve days after ovulation, those used after an hCG injection may produce false positive results. Accordingly, it is necessary wait one or two weeks . Second option - take a blood test for the hCG hormone in dynamics . The doctor who prescribes treatment and performs stimulation must determine the exact time at which the use of tests can be started.

Chorionic gonadotropin (CG) is a hormone that is produced by chorionic tissue immediately after implantation. Normally, it is present in the body only during pregnancy. Thanks to medical advances, this hormone is created artificially for the purpose of treating anovulation (a cycle disorder that makes natural conception difficult). Why and when are hCG injections indicated? What is the result of such therapy?

Mechanism of action of hCG injection

Chorionic gonadotropin is involved in the synthesis of sex hormones, has a positive effect on the process of egg maturation and the key event of the cycle - ovulation. It is used to stimulate the release of the oocyte, if for some reason this process does not occur independently and anovulatory cycles are observed (rapid tests for ovulation are negative).


An injection of hCG promotes ovulation and supports the functioning of the corpus luteum (a temporary endocrine gland that produces the hormone progesterone until the 16th week). Previously, in the first phase of the cycle, follicle growth is stimulated under the influence of an estrogen substitute. When ultrasound shows its maturation to 2.5 cm in diameter, an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin is given. It is taken into account that two days have passed since the last dose of the stimulant Clostilbegit.

Ovulation occurs 1-1.5 days after the administration of the hormonal substance. Within two days, a period favorable for fertilization begins, which future parents should take advantage of. A woman’s own feelings, as well as a special pharmacy test, will tell her about the moment of ovulation. It will show a reliable result before the hCG injection, after which the rupture of the follicle can be seen by ultrasound.

How long the drug is eliminated from the body depends on individual characteristics. Typically, no traces of the substance are detected within 3-5 days. To do this, you should drink more fluid.

Types of hCG

HCG injection may be needed for:

  • stimulation of follicle rupture after treatment with Clostilbegit;
  • maintaining the life of the corpus luteum;
  • support pregnancy until the 16th week, until the placenta is formed.

To produce hCG preparations, proteins extracted from the urine of expectant mothers are used. In Russia you can purchase domestic and imported products. They are prescribed by doctors strictly according to indications. Self-medication can lead to hormonal disorders in the female body.



The dosage of hCG drugs is selected individually and is 500, 1000, 1500, 5000, 10000 units. The following drugs are distinguished by name: Pregnil, Horagon, Ecostimulin, human chorionic gonadotropin. The cost of drugs depends on the manufacturer, pharmacy markups, and dosage. On average, an HCG injection will cost 1,500 rubles.

In what cases is it prescribed?

Indications for injections of hCG medications:

  • anovulatory cycles;
  • supporting the functioning of the corpus luteum;
  • preparation for IVF at the stage of ovulation stimulation;
  • threat of pregnancy failure in the early stages;
  • history of recurrent miscarriage;
  • menstrual irregularities.

Stimulation with hCG drugs is indicated for underdevelopment of the genital organs, dysfunction of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. In gynecology, they can additionally be prescribed for dysmenorrhea and menstrual pain associated with this pathology, nausea, and loss of consciousness.

Contraindications to hCG injection

When prescribing the drug, the doctor takes into account the patient’s age, health status and existing contraindications:

  • individual intolerance to the components of the product;
  • a number of diseases of the endocrine system, including the thyroid gland;
  • early menopause;
  • oncopathology of the female reproductive system;
  • tendency to thrombosis;
  • lactation period;
  • adhesions in the pelvis.

If there are contraindications or as prescribed by a doctor, ovulation stimulation is performed without the administration of hCG, only through the administration of Clostilbegit. In this case, the follicle bursts on its own after maturation, which is shown by an ovulation test. However, this does not always happen.


Instructions for use of injection

HCG preparations are produced in the form of a ready-made solution or components for its preparation (powder and water). The injection should be entrusted to a physician, since the place of intramuscular injection is the abdominal area. The dosage and time of administration are selected by the obstetrician-gynecologist. Most often, drugs are used in dosages of 1000, 5000, 10000 units.

Preparation for the procedure

After the injection of the hormone, the likelihood of pregnancy is very high, so it is worth preparing for the procedure in advance. To do this, it is important to get rid of bad habits and stress, and establish a healthy lifestyle. Normalization of weight plays an important role - its excess and deficiency can become an obstacle to successful conception and pregnancy. In parallel, it is recommended:

  • testing the hCG drug for individual intolerance;
  • testing for immunological compatibility with a partner, STIs;
  • examination by a therapist;
  • Ultrasound of the uterus and appendages;
  • diagnostics of pipe patency;
  • a course of hormonal therapy and hysteroscopy (if necessary);
  • checking the quality of the future father's sperm (spermogram).


After collecting anamnesis, the doctor determines the type of drug, prescribes its dosage and time of administration. On the specified day, the patient comes to the medical office for an injection.

How is the required dose selected?

The dosage is determined depending on the goal set by the doctor. An injection of hCG to stimulate ovulation is given with a dosage of 5000 units after detection of a dominant follicle. Superovulation before IVF is induced using the drug at a dosage of 10,000. The ovulation process is monitored by ultrasound. For maintenance therapy, dosages of 500 and 2000 IU are used. Injections are indicated on days 3, 6, 9 after ovulation.

If there is a threat of miscarriage in the early stages, make sure that there is no ectopic pregnancy (see also: hCG level in the early stages of ectopic pregnancy). Initially, the drug is administered at a dosage of 10,000 IU, and then 5,000 weekly. Therapy can last up to 14 weeks. In parallel, to maintain the desired level of progesterone, Duphaston or Utrozhestan are indicated (we recommend reading: how to take Duphaston: before or after meals?).

How and when is the injection given?


The drug is administered intramuscularly with an insulin syringe with a thin needle. The doctor determines where to inject. To stimulate ovulation, it is placed in the stomach, for which a distance of 2 fingers is removed from the navel to the side. The area is treated with alcohol. Then the skin fold is pinched and the syringe needle is inserted. An alternative for injections is the buttock area.

When stimulating ovulation, gonadotropin will perform its functions if the injection is given 1-1.5 days before expected ovulation. This process is monitored by ultrasound, the injection is given 10-14 days after the start of the menstrual cycle. The rupture of the follicle occurs precisely during the period when the injection is given. The injection does not affect subsequent cycles.

To maintain the function of the corpus luteum, pregnant women may be prescribed maintenance therapy with hCG. Typically, injections are given 3, 6, 9 days after the follicle ruptures.

When diagnosing pregnancy, the hCG level is constantly monitored. If its level decreases or there is a threat of miscarriage, maintenance therapy is indicated. The dosage is selected depending on the symptoms, tests, and the woman’s health condition.

What side effects might there be?

Side effects after an injection of hCG, which are observed in case of disruption of the administration process and overdose:

  • untimely ovulation, which, if the endometrium is unprepared, leads to termination of pregnancy;
  • accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity;
  • allergy manifestations from the skin, respiratory organs;
  • depression;
  • irritability;
  • fast fatiguability.

The most serious complication is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, in which many follicles grow at the same time. They do not burst, but develop into cysts, which is dangerous to health and leads to cardiac and respiratory failure and other serious consequences. Concomitant use of the drug with glucocorticosteroids in large dosages is not recommended.

If pregnancy does not occur as a result of therapy, you need to prepare for further treatment. Perhaps the long-awaited conception will happen naturally 2-3 months after hormonal intervention. Modern reproductive specialists have enough technology at their disposal to help a woman become a mother.