Synthetic ovulation stimulants

What are Synthetic ovulation stimulants?

Synthetic ovulation stimulants are drugs that stimulate ovulation or release of ovum from the ovaries.

The drug in this category has a similar structure to estrogen. It binds to the estrogen receptors so the brain thinks there is a low level of estrogen in the body. Therefore estrogen cannot provide accurate negative feedback to the hypothalamus and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is released. GnRH activates the pituitary gland to release follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). FSH and LH secretion stimulates growth of ovarian follicles and subsequent release of the egg.

Synthetic ovulation stimulants are used in treating infertility in anovulatory women.

FSH medications are used to stimulate the recruitment and development of multiple eggs in women during an ovulation induction cycle. FSH products may be used alone or in combination with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) to induce superovulation.

Clomiphene and gonadotrophins are the most commonly used fertility drugs because they tend to be the most effective.

Ovulation induction uses fertility medications to stimulate the release of one or more eggs from the ovary. Sometimes, a procedure called intrauterine insemination (IUI) is used in conjunction with ovulation induction to achieve pregnancy.

Leutinizing hormone (LH), the other reproductive pituitary hormone, aids in egg maturation and provides the hormonal trigger to cause ovulation and the release of eggs from the ovary.