Ovulation And Fertility Medication Resistance

One of the hallmarks of undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) is that most people will be prescribed hormone medication which is designed to either regulate ovulation timing or egg production. For women that need to regulate menstrual cycles, hormones are ideal for stabilizing ovulation timelines, a critical component for properly timing egg retrieval and embryo transfer. However, similar to antibiotics, some individuals may be resistant to hormone stimulation.

IVF and hormone treatment

Hormone treatment is a core component of IVF since the assisted reproductive technology (ART) method is designed as a controlled medical procedure that ideally can circumvent naturally occurring issues that prevent conception or implantation from occurring. The most common reasons to use hormones in women is to regulate the menstrual cycle or boost egg production. Especially for women that struggle with irregular periods, cycle regulation is critical for creating an accurate IVF timeline for egg retrieval and embryo transfer. Likewise, the process usually retrieves multiple eggs at once to create embryos, tests their viability, and ensures a usable number remains for transfer.

Fertility medication resistance

While most women are receptive to hormone treatments during an IVF round, some individuals may not have as much success. When a woman is diagnosed with fertility medication resistance, the statement usually refers to poor ovarian response. The label simply means that the organs are not responding as expected to the boosted hormonal levels. As a result, fewer eggs may be released during ovulation.

Common causes

A few causes can contribute to fertility medication resistance in a woman. Diminished ovarian reserve or reduced egg production as a natural result of age is one of the most common culprits. Likewise, genetic factors, being overweight or obese, improper injection technique with at-home fertility medications, underlying medical conditions and even inadequate endometrial lining thickness are all potential issues. Another aspect to consider is whether the proper ovarian stimulation protocol was used, which directly impacts the dosage, timing and type of medication prescribed to a woman.

What to know

Being diagnosed with fertility medication resistance can be a disheartening experience. For most women, recalibrating and running additional diagnostics is the best option. Factors like endometrial lining thickness, shifting to a shorter protocol for women over 40, opting for donor eggs, and even fine-tuning the IVF timeline can all be tweaked to improve outcomes.

Don’t give up

IVF is an emotionally taxing experience that tests wills and wallets. So many factors can influence success rates, even for participants who technically qualify as the ideal candidates in good health and under age 35. Still, when receiving a fertility medication resistance diagnosis, don’t be so quick to give up. Speak with a fertility specialist to determine if underlying factors that can be corrected might be influencing outcomes.