How many follicles before retrieval

This is what is being checked when you use an ovulation detector kit. There is a sudden rise in the LH hormone which then signals the ovary to begin the ovulation event. In IVF, HCG human chorionic gonadotropin hormone, which is chemically similar to LH, is substituted for the LH to make the eggs go through their final maturation phase and begin the process of ovulation. There are three sources for this medication:. Lupron can only be used if you are on an antagonist protocol, with Ganerelix or Cetrotide, and not in a long Lupron protocol.

This is usually scheduled for hours from the trigger shot. Thank you for joining me today! Though there are many reasons you might consider reducing or eliminating your ability to get pregnant, if you later decide to start a family, you have options available.

Read on to learn more. Protecting your health is protecting your fertility. Choosing to get regular check-ups can protect you from issues later down the line, or prepare you for any possible issues. Read on to learn more about the importance of wellness exams. Is there even a difference? In this blog, we explain the difference between perimenopause and menopause and how you can get relief from your less-than-pleasant symptoms. After reviewing the results of 77, fresh transfers between and 36, consecutive frozen embryo transfers from , the researchers found that the live birth rate from fresh transfers increased with retrievals of up to 11 eggs.

The cumulative live birth rates, which included fresh transfers and all subsequent frozen transfers, increased with each egg retrieved up to eggs before leveling off. But this assumption may not apply to all types of IVF cycles. In cases of fresh embryo transfer, the elevated progesterone levels from recent ovarian stimulation may change the environment of the uterine lining, making it less receptive to an implanting embryo.

In other words, the stronger the ovarian response to stimulation and the higher the number of eggs retrieved, the more likely it is that the hormonal environment will negatively impact the chance of pregnancy after a fresh transfer.

However, in frozen embryo transfers, the embryo transfer occurs in a subsequent cycle, remote from the process of ovarian stimulation. As a result, the hormonal environment more closely resembles a natural cycle. Therefore, the outcome of the frozen embryo transfer is not hindered in patients who had a high number of eggs retrieved in a prior cycle. Sometimes patients have fewer follicles but they are larger in size and more likely to result in successful fertilization and pregnancy.

During your consultation process with our team, we will be sure to go over all of these matters in greater detail so that you are able to make a well-informed and confident decision about all of your fertility treatment options.

If you would like more information about in vitro fertilization IVF and how it can help you start the family that you have always wanted, contact our team of fertility specialists today.

The team here at Houston Fertility Center looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you make the smartest choices when it comes to your fertility treatment options.

She is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist Infertility REI specialist who is proud to help hopeful parents fulfill their dreams of having children. Our center is affiliated with the:. We provide convenient care for patients from greater Houston and visitors from out of town. For more information about our services, contact our office online or call today. Some images are of models, not actual patients. Sitemap Privacy Policy Login.

More Contact Info. Menu Menu Location Contact. They are too small to be seen with the naked eye, and cannot be picked up on an ultrasound or any other test. However, once hormonal signals trigger the development of follicles and they start to mature and grow, they become known as antral follicles and measure up to 10 mm.

These are then visible on an ultrasound and can be counted. An antral follicle count AFC ultrasound can be carried out during the initial stages of fertility investigation to help you decide whether assisted fertility treatments such as IVF might be an appropriate option for you.

Follicle growth and development are then carefully monitored during fertility treatments as well. At IVI, a series of 3 or 4 ultrasound scans are carried out and the amount of oestradiol in the blood is also measured to check that there is normal growth and development of the follicles during treatment. Oestradiol is a type of oestrogen, which is the major sex hormone in women and is secreted by the ovarian follicles. As the follicles grow and develop each month they produce oestradiol, so having a blood test to check your oestradiol levels is important to measure not only the number of follicles and eggs being produced but also how healthy they are.

As preparation for IVF treatment, it can be recommended to undergo ovarian stimulation. This consists of the administration of daily injections which cause the ovaries, instead of producing a single ovum which is what they do naturally each month, to produce more oocytes so that a larger number of embryos can be obtained. Producing a larger quantity of available eggs can, of course, increase the chances of treatment being successful.

However, what matters most is the quality of the eggs being developed, and so, at IVI, we will also monitor the size and health of the follicle to make for optimum results. When the follicles reach an adequate size normally around 18—25 mm , and we consider that there are a suitable number of oocytes, we schedule follicular puncture 36 hours after administering an injection of the hormone hCG.

This causes the oocytes to mature in a similar way to the way they would in a natural cycle. At IVI, we take every measure possible to promote the successful and healthy growth of your follicles and to encourage an increased production of eggs to give the IVF treatment optimal chances of success. On rare occasions, the follicular puncture might result in no eggs being retrieved from the follicles.

If there are no eggs in the follicles then the IVF treatment will not be able to be completed on that occasion. There is also the possibility of using an egg donor , should you not be able to conceive using your own eggs. This is when your ovaries overstimulate and produce too many follicles and mature eggs. Lots of follicles in the ovaries can lead to health complications and OHSS needs to be dealt with carefully.

We also carefully monitor your follicle growth throughout treatment and will be able to immediately identify if OHSS develops.