Fertility medication types, commonly used for IVF or IUI, prepare your body for treatment and enhance the chances of releasing more healthy eggs or sperm.

What is Fertility Medication?

Fertility medication types are an essential component of fertility treatment. These fertility solutions are commonly used in procedures like IUI or IVF. In addition, these medications prepare the body for treatment and enhance the chances of releasing more healthy eggs or sperm.

What is the Purpose of Fertility Medication?

Fertility medication types, such as fertility pills or injections, are primarily designed to regulate ovulation, which is essential for conception.

Fertility tablets for females are used:

• In cases of anovulation where a woman is not ovulating.
• In cases of oligo-ovulation, which is infrequent ovulation.
• In conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
• To induce the release of one or more eggs during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
• To stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
• To support the uterine lining to prepare for embryo implantation and embryo development.

Fertility tablets for men are used:

• To address issues like low sperm count or poor sperm motility.
• To increase testosterone levels.
• To improve sperm production.
• To stimulate the testes to produce more sperm.
• To increase the sperm quality.
• To enhance the likelihood of successful fertilization.

Types of Fertility Medications for Women

Fertility medication options for women can be divided into several categories. After your doctor performs a fertility test for women, you will be prescribed medicines. Some of the female fertility test types are listed below:

• Ovulation testing to detect the surge in luteinizing hormone.
• Fertility blood tests
• Hysterosalpingography to check for internal problems and ensure fluid passage through the fallopian tubes.
• Ovarian reserve testing to assess the quantity and quality of eggs.
• Hormone testing such as thyroid and pituitary hormones
• Pelvic ultrasound to detect uterine or fallopian tube diseases.
• Laparoscopy to inspect fallopian tubes, ovaries, and uterus for endometriosis.
• Genetic testing to identify genetic diseases affecting infertility.

After a group of fertility test, your doctor will create a fertility treatment plan. In this plan, you might need to take reproductive medicine types or tablets for conceiving which are shared below:

Ovulation induction drugs:

• Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid, Serophene): This is an ovulation medication type that increases the production of certain hormones. It is often the first choice for women who have irregular ovulation or anovulation (lack of ovulation).
• Gonadotropins (FSH and LH): These are types of fertility injections. The injectable hormones directly stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. They are used in cases where Clomiphene Citrate is not effective or for assisted reproductive technologies like IVF.
• Metformin: Metformin can improve insulin resistance, which in turn can aid in restoring normal ovulation. These fertility supplements are primarily used for women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
• Letrozole (Femara): Letrozole has been used for inducing ovulation, particularly in women with PCOS, although it was originally developed for breast cancer treatment.
• Bromocriptine and Cabergoline: These medications are used when infertility is due to elevated prolactin levels. They work by decreasing the amount of prolactin released by the pituitary gland.
• Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): hCG, which is often used in combination with other fertility drugs, can help in the final maturation of the eggs and trigger ovulation.

Below, you can see the types of IVF or IUI medications. Some of the medications listed above can be prescribed for IVF and IUI treatment.

• GnRH Agonists (e.g., Lupron): These drugs prevent premature ovulation by controlling the release of hormones. These are generally called IVF medications and are used to control the timing of egg maturation.
• GnRH Antagonists (e.g., Ganirelix, Cetrotide): Similar to GnRH agonists, these are used in IVF to prevent premature ovulation, but they work more quickly and are used for a shorter duration.
• Progesterone Supplements: After egg retrieval in IVF or around the time of insemination in IUI, progesterone is used to prepare and maintain the uterine lining for implantation.

Types of Fertility Medications for Men

Fertility medication types are not only prescribed to women but also to males who wish to be parents. To evaluate the situation, your doctor will perform the male fertility test types listed below:

• Sperm and semen analysis to examine the sperm count.
• Physical examination to detect physical abnormalities like varicoceles and abnormal veins above the testicle.
• Hormone evaluation to measure levels of testosterone and other hormones that influence sperm production.
• Genetic testing to identify specific genetic factors affecting fertility and sperm health.

After performing a fertility test for men, your fertility specialist will create a treatment plan and prescribe the medications listed below:

• Clomiphene Citrate: Clomiphene Citrate which is often used off-label for male infertility, can increase testosterone levels and improve sperm count and motility.
• Gonadotropins (hCG and FSH): These hormones are injected and can stimulate the testes to produce more sperm as infertility support. They are particularly useful in cases of hormonal deficiencies leading to low sperm production.
• Aromatase Inhibitors (e.g., Anastrozole): These medications are used to treat infertility associated with low testosterone-to-estrogen ratios. By inhibiting aromatase, these drugs can increase testosterone levels and potentially improve sperm parameters.
• Antioxidants: Supplements like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Coenzyme Q10 are often recommended to improve sperm quality by reducing oxidative stress.