Fertility medications used to induce ovulation can remove the ‘unknowns’ in a menstrual cycle: Will my follicles grow? Will I ovulate? Will I time intercourse or artificial insemination to optimize my chances?

Dr. Dan Gehlbach with Midwest Reproductive Center carefully manages ovulation induction to help increase your chances for getting pregnant.

About 25 percent of infertile women have problems with ovulation, so the fertility treatment is beneficial,but does have associated risks.

The risks of controlled ovulation induction (COS) that Dr. Gehlbach minimizes with constant monitoring and decades of clinical experience include ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple pregnancies.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Fertility drugs stimulate the ovaries with the goal of having one or more eggs release. Sometimes, these stronger, more potent injectable medications can cause the ovaries to temporarily swell and cause discomfort.

Rarely, the side effects of ovarian hyperstimulation are more severe:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden weight gain
• Diarrhea
• Dark urine, or less frequent urination

A fertility specialist like Dr. Gehlbach will want to see you if any of these symptoms occur during ovulation induction.

Multiple Pregnancies

In a cycle of ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination, Dr. Gehlbach advises his patients to cancel the cycle should too many follicles develop at once. With in-vitro fertilization (IVF), eggs are retrieved, fertilized and then the parents-to-be decide how many embryos to transfer back to the uterus. Single embryo transfer is a new and exciting option in reproductive medicine.

Don’t let the rare chance of hyperstimulation or multiples deter you from trying a cycle of ovulation induction. For 80 percent of women that don’t ovulate on a regular basis, fertility drugs can correct the problem.

Contact Dr. Gehlbach and Midwest Reproductive Center for more encouraging facts about proven and successful ovulation induction.