Ovulation induction

Ovulation occurs when your ovaries grow and release their ripest eggs. It typically happens in the middle of the menstrual cycle and is when you’re most likely to get pregnant. If you’re not ovulating regularly, ovulation induction can help stimulate the process and increase your chances of pregnancy.

Every month, your body produces follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which triggers a follicle to grow on your ovaries. Eventually, the follicle releases a mature egg ready to be fertilized. During ovulation induction, you receive hormone therapy that mimics FSH, helping your ovaries grow and release an egg.

Penn Medicine’s experienced specialists offer fertility and reproductive care and guidance to couples and individuals considering ovulation induction, listening to your goals and health history. Your doctor personalizes the treatment to your needs by pairing it with timed intercourse or other fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Our providers monitor you closely throughout the process. We look for signs that our ovaries are ready to release eggs so you can receive fertility treatments when you’re most likely to get pregnant.

The success rate of ovulation induction depends on a person’s age, diagnosis, and other factors. Your fertility specialist will let you know what to expect so you can make an informed decision.

Ovulation induction is the least expensive fertility treatment. The cost depends on the type of medications you take. Injectable hormone therapy costs more than oral hormone medications.

Most health insurance plans don’t cover ovulation induction. We make sure you know your out-of-pocket costs before starting treatment and help you navigate paying for fertility care.

Many couples and individuals choose ovulation induction because it’s noninvasive and less expensive than IUI or IVF. The treatment also increases your chance of pregnancy when combined with timed intercourse or IUI.

Your doctor will help you decide if ovulation induction is right for you. We may recommend this fertility treatment if you have:

• Irregular periods
• Ovulation disorder
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Unexplained female infertility

You can take an at-home pregnancy test two weeks after timed intercourse or your procedure. Your doctor may have you visit the office to confirm your pregnancy with a blood test.

We understand a negative pregnancy test can be incredibly disappointing after an ovulation induction. You and your provider will discuss if you should try the procedure again or adjust your fertility care plan.

Ovulation induction is a safe, low-risk fertility treatment. Some people may experience medication side effects, including:

• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• Pelvic tenderness
• Weight gain

Sometimes, the medication can overstimulate your ovaries, producing too many follicles with mature eggs. If all the eggs are released, it can lead to an unsafe number of fertilized eggs. We monitor your follicle growth closely and cancel your ovulation induction if overstimulation happens.

Penn Medicine experts do ongoing research to improve reproductive care and fertility outcomes. You may have the chance to participate in innovative clinical trials exploring ovulation induction or other fertility treatments.

Additionally, as a licensed hospital, we can offer ovulation induction medications at a lower price than independent fertility centers. You’ll receive exceptional fertility care at a reduced cost as you start or grow your family.