Contents
The desire of a woman to become a mother is quite natural and natural. But, unfortunately, for some women, the path to motherhood is long and thorny. Modern medicine offers a lot of ways to treat infertility. One of them is the stimulation of superovulation. This procedure can be an independent method of therapy or be a preparatory stage for in vitro fertilization.
According to official statistics, 35% of women who were diagnosed with infertility were able to give birth to a child after superovulation stimulation.
The essence of the method
Superovulation stimulation is a sequence of therapeutic measures, the purpose of which is to ensure the growth and maturation of follicles to a preovulatory state. The procedure is indicated for women who have difficulty conceiving due to congenital or acquired pathologies or chronic diseases of the pelvic organs.
Stimulation of the maturation of follicles is carried out according to a scheme drawn up by a specialist based on the individual parameters of the patient. The procedure is necessarily preceded by a complete examination of the woman and the establishment of the exact cause that provokes infertility.
It is unacceptable to violate the recommendations of the attending physician during the preparation and implementation of the procedure – this will have an extremely negative impact on its effectiveness. Attempts to independently stimulate ovulation using hormonal drugs can cause a deterioration in health and worsen infertility.
Preparing for the procedure
The main goal of the preparatory activities is to determine the indicator of the female hormone. For this, the patient is shown ultrasound monitoring, as well as tests to determine the hormonal background. In particular, a biochemical blood test is mandatory, which makes it possible to obtain indicators of the concentration of testosterone and progesterone. Ultrasound monitoring includes folliculometry – a study of the structure and stages of development of follicles.
Additionally, a number of studies can be assigned to determine the causes of infertility and eliminate pathological factors. In some cases, laparoscopy is required – a low-traumatic operation, during which the specialist makes small incisions on the abdominal wall and through them introduces special devices and a microscopic video camera into the pelvic cavity. Such a diagnostic method is characterized by a high degree of information content and a quick rehabilitation period. The patient gets the opportunity to return to her usual way of life already 2-3 days after the procedure.
Indication for appointment
The patient may be prescribed ovulation stimulation if pathological cycle disorders are detected, against which attempts to conceive a child are unsuccessful. In the vast majority of cases, problems with conception lie in the lack of the hormone progesterone, the deficiency of which can be provoked by the following diseases and pathologies:
- ovarian failure;
- unfavorable living conditions, chronic fatigue, stress;
- excessive secretion of androgens;
- polycystic ovaries;
- wrong choice of contraceptive drugs;
- hormonal disruptions caused by chronic diseases;
- obstruction of the fallopian tubes;
- diseases and pathologies of the pelvic organs;
- an acute lack of adipose tissue in a woman’s body and more.
A woman can be diagnosed with infertility if her attempts to get pregnant lasted at least 1 year. In preparation for the stimulation of superovulation, it is important to eliminate all pathogenic factors that prevent conception.
Types of stimulation
Therapy for infertility caused by cycle disorders and the absence of ovulation is based on the use of hormonal medications. The choice of medicines, daily dose and regimen is determined by the attending physician. In addition, on the recommendation of a specialist, adjustments can be made to the lifestyle of a woman and her menu. For example, if the cause of infertility is chronic stress, it is important to eliminate the factors that provoke it. Walking in the fresh air, moderate physical activity, a healthy and balanced diet, and the correct daily routine will be useful. Subject to strict adherence to all medical prescriptions, it can be expected that the desired pregnancy will occur after 3-6 months from the start of therapy.
There are three types of superovulation stimulation – short protocol, long protocol and optimal protocol. A short or clean protocol involves injections of hormones from the second day of the menstrual cycle to 14. Throughout the entire period, the woman is under the constant supervision of a specialist. A prerequisite is ultrasound monitoring, based on the results of which the daily rate of the hormone is adjusted. At the end of the protocol, the patient is given special substances to maintain the function of the ovarian corpus luteum.
Long protocol – hormonal drugs begin to be administered on the 21st day of the menstrual cycle. At the same time, in the first 5 days of therapy, the use of special medications that block the pituitary gland is indicated. After their cancellation, menstruation occurs, with the advent of which a short stimulation protocol is carried out.
The optimal protocol, in fact, repeats the scheme of the short one, only an agonist is added to the hormone, causing a slight blockade of the pituitary gland.
Possible consequences and limitations to the appointment
Ovulation induction is an effective way to treat infertility. But in some cases, this procedure is contraindicated, as it can cause a sharp deterioration in the health of a woman.
If the patient has congenital pathologies or anomalies in the development of the organs of the reproductive system, stimulation of the maturation of follicles is contraindicated. Uterine cancer, acute liver failure, severe heart disease and diabetes mellitus are also a strict contraindication to the procedure.
Infectious diseases, HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis are among the relative contraindications. If there is an improvement in the patient’s health after therapy aimed at eliminating the disease, and the leading specialist concludes that the woman can bear and give birth to a healthy child, stimulation of superovulation can be performed.
The woman herself during the period of hormone administration may suffer from a deterioration in well-being. The most common side effects of therapy are headache, weakness, chills, a sharp increase in the amount of adipose tissue, pain in the lower abdomen. In some cases, a rupture of an ovarian cyst or the ovarian body itself, a separation of a blood clot, and an accumulation of fluid in the pelvic cavity may even occur. In this case, hormone therapy is interrupted and the search for an alternative method of infertility treatment begins.