IVF Injections Guide

The thought of going through fertility treatments, particularly IVF can be pretty overwhelming. A fear of needles can aggravate this. In some cases, one chooses to take the shots in the privacy of their home. Knowing what to expect can make the process less daunting, and that’s what we are focusing on today-everything you need to know about getting IVF shots. 

Key Takeaways

• Anxiety that stems from needles is more common than you know. 
• IVF uses hormone therapy injections that are given over some time to prepare eggs for fertilization.
• Many of the injections used during an IVF treatment can be done at home by the patient.

Who is IVF For?

Several reasons can make an individual opt for IVF as a fertility treatment. 

• If an individual goes through intrauterine insemination or IUI without success.
• If one is suffering from health conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cancer. 
• If a woman’s fallopian tubes are blocked. 
• If there are risks of passing down a genetic disorder to a child. 
• If the male partner has challenges with low sperm or unusual movement, size, or shape. 
• If eggs are being preserved for the future 
• If a sperm donor or surrogate is being used for conception. 
• If one doesn’t have a working uterus. 

IVF treatment goes through different stages which we shall delve into more deeply below. For most people, one round of IVF typically lasts between four and six weeks, but this depends on each patient’s needs. Whether you choose to take your shots at a fertility specialist like Ivy Fertility or at home, the healthcare professionals will regularly monitor your health and adjust your dosage as you progress through the cycles. 

Types of IVF 

IVF is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different types of IVF treatment can be tailored to meet the needs of each patient. These types include:

Traditional IVF

This is the standard IVF method and it has the highest chances of success. In this form of treatment, hormone injections are given to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once the eggs are mature, they are retrieved and fertilized in the lab with prepared sperm from the partner or donor. Before the embryos are inserted in the uterus, they are monitored for growth. 

Frozen Embryo Transfer

Frozen Embryo Transfer or FET in short is only done if one has done IVF before and more viable embryos were fertilized. It uses frozen embryos from a previous IVF cycle. The embryos are first thawed and then transferred to the uterus.

Natural cycle IVF

The natural cycle IVF doesn’t use any fertility drugs. During natural ovulation, the released egg is retrieved and combined with sperm, similar to traditional IVF. This type of IVF is less invasive and uses fewer drugs, making it a suitable option for anyone who would like to avoid the side effects of fertility drugs.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

This is a specialized form of IVF used on those with male fertility issues like low sperm count or poor sperm motility. Here, a single sperm is injected directly into each egg to increase the chances of fertilization and pregnancy.

Mild stimulation IVF

During Mild IVF stimulation, one receives a lower dose of fertility drugs over a shorter period than standard IVF. This is done to shorten the treatment cycle and achieve the results quickly. 

In Vitro Maturation 

In vitro maturation or IVM is a newer form of IVF treatment that focuses on immature eggs. These immature eggs are then matured in a lab without the use of any hormones. 

Types of IVF Medication Used

IVF medications come in many forms including oral or vaginal tablets and injections and contain hormones that make work to ensure the IVF process is a success. 

Follicle-stimulating Hormones

In your menstrual cycle, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are gonadotropins that help your ovaries produce more eggs. When these drugs are given during IVF, they allow the healthcare professional to collect and fertilize more eggs. This also means there will be more embryos to choose from. FSH and LH injections are given or self-administered for around 10 days depending on an individual. FSH drugs include Gonal-F, Menopur, Bemfola, or Meriofer.  

Progesterone 

Progesterone drugs include Gestone, Prontogest, and Agolutin. Your healthcare professional can prescribe daily progesterone injections to help your uterine lining prepare for embryo transfer, implantation, and growth of the embryo. These injections are taken every day for about eight weeks. 

Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists like Cetrotid and Buserelin are given at the beginning of the IVF cycle. Their main work is to suppress your body's natural cycle and temporarily prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs. These are also daily injections given for about two weeks.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)

HCG is a medication that triggers your body to start ovulating. HCG drugs include Gonasi, Pregnyl, and Ovitrelle. 

IVF Dosaging

Your healthcare provider tailors your dosage to fit your specific needs. Factors that determine your dosage include:

• Ovarian reserve
• Age
• Risk for ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) 
• Risk of cancer

What happens during IVF?

The IVF process involves 5 main stages, which go hand in hand with the injections mentioned above. 

First Stage-Downregulation

Here, your natural menstrual cycle is suppressed to prevent ovulation. This process is known as downregulation. One study showed that downregulation done before IVF therapy decreased premature ovulation and improved the overall success of IVF treatment.

Second stage- Stimulate Ovaries

In this stage, you are given injections to increase your follicles and the number of eggs produced. The more follicles produced the more the eggs that can be retrieved. Any extra eggs can be frozen and used in another cycle or donated. During this stage, your healthcare provider will monitor your progress and check the development of the eggs using an ultrasound. 

Third stage- Egg Retrieval

The eggs are then collected 36 hours after you are given the trigger shot for egg maturation. Egg retrieval has to be precisely timed to avoid the loss of any eggs during ovulation. The retrieved eggs are then put in a culture medium. 

Fourth Stage- Fertilization

Here, the eggs are mixed with the sperm for fertilization. This can be done in two ways:

• Traditional insemination, where healthy sperm is mixed with eggs in a petri dish in the laboratory. This mixture is then left to incubate overnight for natural fertilization.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This involves injecting the sperm into each egg separately.  

The combined sperm and egg are given 20 hours for fertilization to take place. The fertilized eggs are then allowed to grow in the lab.

Fifth Stage-Embryo Transfer

In this stage, 1 or 2 fertilized eggs or embryos are carefully injected into your uterus. This process happens two to five days after egg retrieval. Once the embryo(s) has been transferred into your womb, you'll need to wait 2 weeks before taking a pregnancy test to see if the treatment has worked. You can retain your normal activities but it’s usually advised to avoid sex until the pregnancy test. 

The pregnancy test is done via a blood test and if it’s positive your healthcare provider will check your HCG levels to see if they are rising and perform a vaginal ultrasound three weeks later to view the health of the pregnancy. 

Will I Gain Weight During IVF Injections?

No, no research proves there’s weight gain during IVF treatment. On the contrary, a 2023 study found that individuals receiving IVF experienced less than 1 percent change in body weight throughout. 

How to Take an Injection at Home

Depending on your treatment plan, you may need to take some injections at home. The process isn’t as daunting as it may look. The following guide to taking your IVF shots will help you go through the process.

1. Select where you would like to take the injection. You can choose your abdomen, thigh, or back of the upper arm
2. Maintain cleanliness. Always wash your hands and ensure the tools you’re using are sterilized. 
3. If you need to, prepare your medications. Mix any injections that need mixing before you start the process and follow the instructions as directed. 
4. Rub alcohol on the injection site to keep you clean.
5. Remove the needle cover from the syringe, flick it to remove air bubbles, and hold the syringe like a pencil. 
6. Pinch the skin on your injection site, position the needle, and insert the needle into it pressing the plunger until all of the medication from the syringe is inside the body.
7. Once you remove the needle, gently rub the injection site in small circular motions to allow your body to absorb the medicine. 
8. When done, dispose of the needle safely, preferably in a puncture-proof container. 

What Are IVF Side Effects?

IVF drugs do have some side effects when taken. 

• Mild cramping
• Breast tenderness
• Excessive fatigue
• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Bloating
• Headaches
• Constipation
• Spotting
• Pelvic pain

However, there can be some risks when you take IVF. They include:

• Ectopic pregnancy
• Ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS)
• Ovarian torsion
• Fevers of over 100° F
• Blood in urine
• Heavy vaginal bleeding

If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider who will know what to do. 

The Bottom Line

IVF treatment contains injections that have to be taken either at home or in a fertility clinic. These injections contain hormones that stimulate your ovaries to develop mature eggs for fertilization. Though taking these shots carries some anxiety with it, the guide on IVF shots will hopefully make this process a bit easier.