In order to help you to produce a large number of eggs for your treatment, fertility drugs are used to simulate your ovaries. There are many different types of drugs that may be proscribed, and many different ways that they may be used. The specific type and course of drugs you may be asked to follow (your "protocol") will be explained to you by one of our fertility specialists, along with instructions on how to take them.
You may be advised to go on a short course of drugs, know as an antagonist, or short protocol. If you are, you will start your stimulation injections on day 2-3 of your menstrual cycle, with another type of injection added on day 6. Both will then be continued for an average of 14 days before you should be ready to have your eggs collected.
Alternatively, you may be advised to go on a longer course of drugs, known as an agonist protocol, or long protocol. This involves an anovarian suppressant injection seven days before your period is due and then injections of gonadotrophin for 10-14 days (starting on day 5-12 of the following period) to stimulate the development of follicles which contain eggs on the ovaries. A final, single injection of hormone is then given 36 hours before your planned egg collection to ripen and mature the eggs prior to their removal.