If you are a woman actively trying to conceive or planning to do so in the near future, having a clear understanding of how the body works can be beneficial. A woman may be trying to get pregnant without any success just because she is trying on the wrong days of the monthly cycle because she does not have the knowledge shared here about fertility as well as Ovidrel and ovulation (in case it is difficult to conceive naturally).
There are only a number of days in which a woman can conceive, to be precise, at least six days of a woman’s menstrual cycle, including the day, prior and after ovulation. Knowing the days when you are most fertile can increase the chance of conception.
What is Ovulation?
It is the release of an egg from one of the ovary, the process happens once a month; it occurs 12 to 16 days before the next monthly period starts. Below are some things which happen in a woman’s body before ovulation:
- The eggs are contained in ovarian follicles, in the first part of each monthly cycle; the most dominant follicle develops and matures.
- As one approach to ovulation, the body produces higher amounts of estrogen hormone, which makes the lining of the uterus thickens and creates a friendly environment for the sperm.
- The elevated levels of estrogen hormone trigger an increase in another hormone known as luteinizing hormone (LH). The LH surge causes the matured follicle to burst open and release the matured egg – this is what is termed as ovulation.
- It critical to note that ovulation takes place 24 to 36 hours after the luteinizing hormone surge, which is a good predictor for peak fertility.
- The released egg is available for fertilization for 24 hours only, as for the sperms, they can stay active for five days if the environment is friendly, for example, there is the availability of fertile mucus. Hence the fertility window is five to six days on average.
What is Fertility Window?
It’s the period in which a woman can conceive during the menstrual cycle if you engage in unprotected sexual intercourse. As earlier mentioned, ovulation happens 12 to 16 days before the next period starts; hence, the timing of ovulation depends on the length of a woman cycle. On average, most women have a cycle of 28 days; however, the length of the monthly cycle is different from woman to woman, as well as cycle to cycle. If one is trying to conceive, it is recommended to have intercourse on the fertile days. To know when you are most fertile, seek to understand your body and personal menstrual cycle. Start by calculating the length of the cycle by counting the number of days you have your menses and the days that follows prior the next monthly period. To increase the chance of conception, have sex at least once daily on the days you are most fertile. You may detect the most fertile days through the following methods:
- Calendar method
- Saliva observation
- Cervical mucus observation
- Ovulation pain
- Ovulation testing kit
You can contact a fertility expert or the doctor for more information on the method listed. If you have tried to become pregnant for over one year without success it’s important to seek medical attention. After the physical examination and the fertility specialist runs a series of test to find out the problem. If the inability to become pregnant relates to ovulation challenges, he may prescribe Ovidrel.
What is Ovidrel?
It’s a fertility medication which belongs to a family of drugs known as gonadotropin. Ovidrel and ovulation are closely associated; it is used to trigger ovulation in a female undergoing ART (assisted reproductive technology) for example in vitro fertilization. Still, it’s prescribed to a woman who doesn’t produce eggs (anovulation) or who produce few eggs (oligo-ovulation).
It’s a prescription drug and contains human chronic gonadotropin as the active ingredient. It is given by injection under your skin. The physician will teach you how to self-administer the shot at home, hence follow the instructions given and rotate the injection spot. Nevertheless, if you don’t comprehend the injection procedure and how to discard the injection materials used, don’t self-administer the shot. But request the health care professional to take you through the training once again. Additionally, ask him to give you handouts and recorded video to refer to when need be before taking the injection. If you can’t withstand sticking a needle in your body, a close family member like a spouse may be trained to give the injections at the comfort of your house.
If going through in vitro fertilization or the natural cycle, before taking ovulation shot Ovidrel, other fertility drugs are given to stimulate the growth and development of a number of follicles to produce eggs like Clomid. Clomid is used for five days consecutively starting on the 3rd or the 5th day; it makes the pituitary gland to produce high levels of follicle stimulating hormone which promote the growth of ovarian follicles. If a female is unresponsive to Clomid the next option is HMG (human menopausal gonadotropin) like Menopur and Repronex (these drugs contain equal amounts of FSH and LH) or Gonal-F or Follistim (they contain FSH). These drugs aid in follicle development and maturation as well, but they act directly on the ovaries.
While on fertility medication, a patient is closely monitored by the physician. One will need to go in for ultrasounds to check the progress for the developing ovarian follicles. The follicles are measured to determine if the eggs are ready to be released. If the fertility expert is satisfied by the maturity of the follicles, the patient is advised to take the trigger shot for ovulation with Ovidrel to take place. The active substance (HCG) in the injection takes over the role of luteinizing hormone. An Ovulation test may be carried out at home to detect LH. If you take the ovulation test at home immediately after the shot, you should get a positive result; your fertility expert may request taking the test prior the injection, if you have luteinizing hormone surge on your own he may recommend you to take Ovidrel shot or not based on the reason you are receiving the injection.
When Does Ovulation Occur After Ovidrel?
Before getting to the question, let’s learn what the shot does. The injection aids in the final maturation of the eggs in the follicles. Ovidrel ovulation time is expected to happen within 24 to 36 hours after the shot and you should have intercourse within this period. If going through IVF, the eggs are harvested before the expected time of ovulation. The egg retrieval takes 20 to 30 minutes.
The medication comes in the form of:
- Pre-filled syringes
- Pre-filled pen
- Lyophilized powder for reconstitution
Dosage
The usual dose is 250 mcg, take the dose as prescribed, don’t take an overdose nor an under dose. If need be, the health care practitioner may prescribe Lupron to be in a position to control follicle development and ovulation artificially.
Precautions
- Blood clots – it may increase the formation of blood clots. Thus, if you have a history of blood clot, you are more prone to heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism or clots in the deep vein of the leg.
- Multiple births – any fertility drug puts one at risk of giving birth to more than two babies. Before beginning the fertility treatment, discuss with the physician the risk of multiple births such as gestational diabetes, pre-term birth, and stillbirth.
- Ovarian enlargement – patient on the drug may encounter ovarian enlargement linked to abdominal bloating, or pain; most of the times, the condition clears on its own without medical attention. However, inform the medical care provider if you are faced with these symptoms.
- OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) – this condition occurs if excess follicles grow and may trigger abdominal pain, pelvic discomfort, nausea, vomiting and rapid weight gain. Some females may experience diarrhea and difficulty breathing. The ailment may progress rapidly and lead to serious complications. In most cases, the doctor may be able to detect OHSS during the ultrasound scan. In such a situation, the patient is advised to discontinue using the drug and avoid sexual intercourse. Nonetheless, if you are faced with the signs and symptoms of OHSS, seek medical help right away
- Pregnancy – the use of the drug is highly discouraged during pregnancy as it may harm the unborn child. According to FDA listing, it is in category X.
- Children and seniors – the medication is only intended for use by females of childbearing age. Hence, the safety the use and safety of the drug has not been studied in children and seniors.
In Conclusion
You have information on Ovidrel and ovulation. The drug has been of aid to many patients. To increase your chance of conception, engage in sexual intercourse before ovulation after Ovidrel takes place. Sooner or later, you will be a happy mother to be.