Ovulation induction (fertility drugs)

What it involves

The UK fertility regulator, the HFEA, says “Depending on your diagnosis, you can either take fertility drugs on their own or in combination with other treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) .” See IUI and IVF.

It describes injected hormones as “hormones that you inject into the body to help stimulate egg production.” And it is plain about supervision: “You should only take medication under the care of a specialist.”

When it is used

The HFEA says “Your doctor may recommend that you have medication if:”

• “You've been diagnosed with Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) (formerly called PCOS).”
• “You have a very irregular cycle or ovulation that's totally unpredictable.”
• “You're a man or a woman with fertility problems linked to your pituitary gland (hormones).”

It adds: “Medication may be the first course of treatment if you have polycystic ovaries.” Whether it is appropriate in a particular case is a clinical decision for the treating doctor. This directory does not make that judgement.

What the regulator says about risks

On clomifene, the HFEA states: “There's a risk with Clomid of developing too many follicles (the sacs that hold your eggs). If this happens you could have a multiple birth (twins, triplets or more) which carries serious health risks to both mother and babies.”

On injected hormones: “Women who take gonadotrophins can develop a side effect called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) which can, in rare cases, be fatal so it's essential you're aware of the symptoms of OHSS.”

The HFEA's general warning: “Always seek professional advice before taking fertility drugs”. This directory does not name doses or regimens, and does not suggest any.

Each clinic below shows the level the national ART registry records for it, so you can see what else the clinic is registered to do. The level describes the clinic’s ART registration, not this procedure. Of the listings below, 82 are registered as Level 2, 15 as Level 1, and 33 have no level in the registry extract.