Medicines, Supplements and IVF: What Your Fertility Team Checks Before Stimulation Starts

The pre-treatment appointment often starts with a small ritual: a plastic bag emptied onto the desk. A thyroid tablet, an antihistamine, a half-finished box of prenatal vitamins, a tub of something green from a health-food shop, and, after a pause, the antidepressant that nobody mentioned on the intake form. The nurse writes it all down without blinking. She has seen that bag a thousand times.

That unglamorous inventory is one of the most useful things that happens in an IVF cycle. The question of medications before IVF and what to tell your doctor is not about catching anyone out. It is about making sure the hormones used to grow follicles are not fighting with something else in your bloodstream, and that nothing you swallow in the next few weeks could matter to a pregnancy you are hoping to start.

This explainer walks through what your fertility team is looking for, why the list matters, what the evidence says about popular supplements, and which decisions belong to the people who prescribe your medicines.

Medications before IVF: what to tell your doctor at the first consultation

Start with the honest version of the list, not the tidy one. Fertility teams want to know about prescription medicines, yes, but also the things people tend to forget: the ibuprofen taken for period pain, the melatonin gummy at bedtime, the hay-fever tablet, the protein powder with added herbs, the acne cream, the eye drops. Each of these has a reason to be on the record.

A useful way to think about it is in four buckets. First, medicines you take every day for a long-term condition, such as thyroid hormone, blood pressure tablets, insulin or metformin, antidepressants, anticonvulsants or asthma inhalers. Second, medicines you take sometimes, including painkillers, antihistamines, antacids, laxatives and sleep aids. Third, anything you apply rather than swallow: creams, patches, nasal sprays, injections for migraine or arthritis. Fourth, everything sold as a supplement, vitamin, herb, tea or “fertility blend”, whether or not a label calls it natural.

Bring the containers if you can. Trade names, generic names and strengths are easier to check from a label than from memory, and the team needs the generic name to look up interactions. If you cannot bring them, a phone photo of each label works well.

Two more things belong on the list even though they are not medicines. Alcohol and nicotine, including vaping and nicotine replacement, affect how a cycle is planned and counseled. And any recent course of antibiotics, steroids or vaccines is worth mentioning, because timing can matter for scheduling.

The point of all this disclosure is simple. According to the NHS, IVF relies on a sequence of hormone medicines given over several weeks, and the team can only plan that sequence safely when they know what else is in the picture. Nothing on the list will be judged. Everything on it will be considered.

How ovarian stimulation actually works, in plain language

In a natural cycle, the brain releases hormones that nudge the ovaries to mature one egg. IVF borrows that machinery and turns up the volume so that several follicles, the fluid-filled sacs that each contain an egg, grow at once.

The first step is often control. Many protocols use a medicine that quiets the body’s own hormone signals so the clinic, not the pituitary gland, decides when ovulation happens. This can be a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, which switches the signal off after a brief surge, or a GnRH antagonist, which blocks it directly. The NHS describes this suppression phase as typically lasting around two weeks when an agonist is used.

Next comes stimulation. Daily injections of gonadotropins, the laboratory-made versions of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sometimes luteinizing hormone (LH), encourage a group of follicles to grow. The NHS notes that these injections usually continue for about 10 to 12 days, with blood tests and ultrasound scans tracking follicle size and estrogen levels along the way.

When follicles reach the right size, a single “trigger” injection, usually human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a GnRH agonist, mimics the natural ovulation signal and finishes egg maturation. Egg collection is timed for 34 to 38 hours afterward, according to the NHS, so the eggs are mature but not yet released.

After collection, progesterone is typically prescribed to prepare the uterine lining for an embryo. Some protocols add estrogen. Each of these medicines works on a hormone pathway, and that is exactly why your other medicines matter: anything that alters hormone levels, liver metabolism, blood clotting or bleeding risk can change how the plan behaves.

What medications are typically prescribed before IVF?

People often expect a single “IVF drug”. In reality a cycle uses a small cast of medicines, each with a job, and the exact combination is chosen by the treating team based on age, ovarian reserve, previous responses and medical history. Mayo Clinic describes the main groups as follows.

Medicines for scheduling. Some clinics use a combined oral contraceptive or estrogen beforehand to line up the ovaries and time the start of stimulation. This surprises people who assume birth control and fertility treatment are opposites; here it is a timing tool.

Medicines for suppression. GnRH agonists or antagonists, described above, prevent a premature LH surge that would release eggs before collection.

Medicines for stimulation. Injectable gonadotropins (FSH, with or without LH activity) grow the follicles. In some lower-intensity protocols an oral ovulation-induction tablet is used instead of or alongside injections.

The trigger. hCG or a GnRH agonist, given once, at a time the team specifies to the hour.

Luteal support. Progesterone, given as vaginal preparations, injections or tablets depending on protocol, and sometimes estrogen, to support the lining after transfer.

Supportive medicines. Some teams prescribe a low-dose aspirin, a steroid, an antibiotic around egg collection, or an anticoagulant in specific circumstances. These are not routine for everyone, and the evidence for several of them is mixed; your team should be able to say why any extra medicine is or is not part of your plan.

None of this is a menu. If you read about a medicine online that is not in your protocol, the right move is to ask why, not to assume something has been left out. Protocols differ because people differ.

Why your fertility team wants to know about your everyday prescriptions

A long-term medicine is rarely a barrier to IVF. It is, however, a planning detail, and the reasons fall into three groups.

Interactions with the cycle itself. Fertility hormones are broken down by the liver and act on receptors throughout the body. Some medicines change liver enzyme activity, some affect blood clotting, and some alter prolactin or thyroid levels that influence ovarian response. A team that knows about these can adjust monitoring rather than be surprised by it.

Safety in early pregnancy. An IVF cycle is, at its end, an attempt to become pregnant. The NHS advises that some medicines should not be taken in pregnancy and that anyone planning a pregnancy should review their prescriptions with the prescriber beforehand. Classic examples where a review matters include certain anticonvulsants, some blood pressure medicines in the ACE inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker classes, oral retinoids used for acne, and some immunosuppressants. For many of these there are alternatives that the prescribing specialist can arrange in good time, which is why the conversation needs to happen before stimulation, not after a positive test.

Control of the underlying condition. Thyroid disease, diabetes, epilepsy and depression are all conditions where stability matters for both the person and a potential pregnancy. Mayo Clinic notes that a pre-treatment medical evaluation checks that chronic conditions are well managed before a cycle begins.

Here is the part that deserves an opinion. The most common harm in this area is not a drug interaction. It is people quietly stopping a medicine because they assume it is “bad for IVF”. Stopping an antidepressant, a thyroid tablet or an anticonvulsant abruptly can cause real problems. The fertility team and the prescriber need to coordinate; you should not have to referee between them, and you should never have to guess.

Supplements to avoid during IVF, and the ones your team usually asks about

Supplements occupy a strange cultural space in fertility treatment. They feel harmless because they are sold on open shelves, and they feel essential because online forums treat them as a second protocol. The evidence sits somewhere less exciting.

One supplement has strong, guideline-level backing. The NHS and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements recommend that anyone trying to conceive take a daily folic acid supplement, because adequate folate before conception and in early pregnancy lowers the risk of neural tube defects. The NIH notes that this protection depends on starting before pregnancy, which is why fertility teams raise it early. The amount and formulation are decisions for your clinician, particularly if you have a history of neural tube defects, take anticonvulsants, or have diabetes.

Vitamin D is commonly checked. Low levels are frequent, and correcting a deficiency is sensible for general health; the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements is clear, though, that very high intakes carry risks, and the evidence that supplementation improves IVF outcomes in people who are not deficient is not established.

Then there are the supplements teams ask you to pause or avoid. The NHS advises against supplements containing vitamin A in its retinol form during pregnancy planning, and against high-dose multivitamins not designed for pregnancy. Herbal products such as St John’s wort can interact with other medicines through the liver. Many “fertility blends” combine a dozen ingredients in amounts that have never been studied together, and some are marketed with claims that no trial supports.

Antioxidant combinations, coenzyme Q10, inositol and DHEA appear frequently in online advice. For each, the evidence ranges from small, inconsistent trials to none at all. If your team suggests one of them, it will be for a specific reason tied to your history; if they do not, adding it independently is not a neutral act, because it joins everything else they are trying to account for.

Over-the-counter painkillers, antihistamines and sleep aids: small pills, real questions

The medicines people forget to mention are usually the ones they consider too ordinary to matter. A handful deserve a specific conversation.

Painkillers. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is generally the first-line option discussed in pregnancy planning, according to the NHS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen act on the same prostaglandin pathways involved in follicle rupture, and many teams ask about their use around ovulation and transfer. Whether and when you can take them during a cycle is a question for your team, and the answer may differ between the stimulation phase and the days after transfer.

Antihistamines. Most are considered low risk, but some cause drowsiness or dry mucous membranes, and some combination cold-and-flu products contain decongestants, caffeine or additional painkillers. Reading the full ingredient list matters more than the brand on the front.

Sleep aids. Melatonin is sold as a supplement in some countries and as a prescription medicine in others. It influences hormone rhythms and is poorly studied in IVF; mention it. Sedating antihistamines used for sleep and any prescription hypnotic belong on the list too.

Antacids and reflux medicines. Usually unproblematic, but proton pump inhibitors and older antacids can change how other oral medicines are absorbed, which is relevant if your protocol includes tablets.

Topicals and sprays. Steroid nasal sprays, acne gels containing retinoids, and hormone creams are all absorbed to some degree. Retinoid acne treatments in particular are something the NHS flags for review before trying to conceive.

The practical rule: anything with an active ingredient is a medicine for the purposes of this conversation. The team will not expect you to have a problem; they simply want the chance to say “that’s fine” out loud, so that you are not deciding alone at midnight with a headache.

Who stimulation is usually for, and who is usually asked to wait

IVF is offered for a range of reasons: blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, male-factor infertility, endometriosis, ovulation disorders that have not responded to simpler treatment, unexplained infertility, fertility preservation before medical treatment, and the use of donor eggs or sperm. MedlinePlus and Mayo Clinic both describe these as the common indications.

Being asked to wait is different from being told no. Teams commonly pause a cycle, or delay its start, for reasons that are temporary and fixable. The most frequent ones involve medicines and conditions that need settling first.

Uncontrolled thyroid disease is a standard reason to wait, because both over- and under-active thyroid function affect ovulation and early pregnancy. Poorly controlled diabetes is another; high blood glucose around conception raises the risk of complications, and adjusting treatment takes weeks. High blood pressure that is not yet stable, or treated with medicines not recommended in pregnancy, needs coordination with the prescribing doctor.

A recent course of a medicine with a known washout period, such as an oral retinoid, means waiting until the prescriber confirms it is safe to try to conceive. Starting or recently changing an antidepressant, anticonvulsant or immunosuppressant may also prompt a short delay while levels settle and specialists agree a plan.

Some people are asked to wait for reasons unrelated to medicines: an ovarian cyst seen on the baseline scan, an unexpected hormone result, an active infection, a very high or very low body mass index that the team wants to address first, or simply a schedule that does not fit the laboratory’s capacity.

Waiting is frustrating, and the frustration is legitimate. It is worth remembering what the pause buys: a cycle that starts on a stable foundation, with fewer surprises in the monitoring phase, and a pregnancy, if one follows, that begins with the medicines already sorted out.

What disqualifies you from doing IVF?

This is one of the most searched questions about treatment, and the honest answer is that very few medicines or conditions are absolute barriers. Most are reasons to adjust, delay or discuss. Still, there are situations where a team will say that stimulation is not safe or not appropriate right now.

Medical safety comes first. Conditions in which pregnancy itself would carry a very high risk to the person’s life, such as certain severe heart or lung diseases, may lead a team to advise against carrying a pregnancy, though they may still discuss egg collection with other paths in mind. Active cancers under treatment usually mean stimulation is deferred unless it is being done specifically for fertility preservation under oncology guidance. Severe uncontrolled psychiatric illness may prompt a pause so that support can be put in place.

Medicines can be a reason for deferral rather than disqualification. A medicine that is unsafe in pregnancy and cannot be switched is a problem that needs solving before a cycle, not a permanent exclusion. Medicines that suppress the ovaries, such as some hormone therapies for other conditions, need to be accounted for in the timing.

Ovarian and uterine factors matter. If baseline tests suggest the ovaries are unlikely to respond to stimulation, the team may recommend against a conventional cycle and discuss alternatives, including donor eggs. Significant uterine abnormalities may need treatment first.

Where you live also plays a role. Public funding criteria vary widely and often include age limits, body mass index thresholds and smoking status; the NHS, for example, sets out eligibility rules for funded treatment that are separate from medical suitability.

None of this is a checklist you can score yourself against. The decision about whether and when to proceed belongs to the treating team, who weigh the whole picture, and a decision to wait is far more common than a decision that treatment is not possible.

A table for your medicines review: what to bring and why it matters

Most teams send a questionnaire before the planning appointment. The table below is not a substitute for it, but it shows the categories that most often get missed and what the team is actually checking in each case. Use it as a prompt while you assemble your list.

Category	Examples people forget	What the team is checking
Daily prescriptions	Thyroid hormone, antidepressants, blood pressure tablets, metformin, inhalers, anticonvulsants	Stability of the condition, safety in pregnancy, interactions with cycle hormones
Occasional medicines	NSAID painkillers, antihistamines, antacids, migraine treatments	Timing around ovulation and transfer, hidden combination ingredients
Non-oral medicines	Acne retinoid gels, steroid nasal sprays, hormone creams, injectable biologics	Absorption, washout periods, specialist coordination
Vitamins and minerals	Multivitamins, vitamin A, high-dose vitamin D, iron	Folic acid in place, no retinol, no excess doses
Herbs and blends	St John’s wort, “fertility” blends, teas, protein powders with botanicals	Liver enzyme interactions, unstudied combinations
Lifestyle substances	Alcohol, nicotine and vaping, caffeine, recreational drugs	Counseling, eligibility rules, pregnancy safety
Recent courses	Antibiotics, steroids, vaccines, contraceptive changes	Scheduling and timing of the cycle

A practical note on the “non-oral” row. People reliably underestimate how much a cream, spray or patch counts as a medicine. If a product has a leaflet, it belongs on the list.

A second note on the “recent courses” row. Telling the team about something you finished last month can feel pointless. It is not; a steroid course can affect glucose and blood pressure readings, and knowing the dates helps the team interpret your baseline tests correctly.

What the weeks before egg collection usually look like

Once the medicines review is done and the team has agreed a protocol, the shape of the next few weeks becomes fairly predictable, even though the exact days shift with each person’s response. The timelines below are typical ranges described by the NHS and Mayo Clinic, not promises.

Preparation. Some protocols begin with a few weeks of oral contraceptive or estrogen to schedule the cycle. Others start with the natural period. A baseline blood test and ultrasound confirm the ovaries are quiet and there is no cyst in the way.

Suppression. If a GnRH agonist is used, the NHS describes roughly two weeks of daily injections or nasal spray before stimulation begins. With an antagonist protocol, suppression is added a few days into stimulation instead, so this phase is folded into the next one.

Stimulation. Daily gonadotropin injections, typically for about 10 to 12 days according to the NHS, with monitoring visits every few days. Blood estrogen levels and follicle measurements guide any adjustments the team makes. This is the phase where people most often feel bloated, tired or emotionally changeable, and where the question of painkillers and sleep aids comes up in practice.

Trigger and collection. A single trigger injection at a precise time, then egg collection 34 to 38 hours later under sedation or anesthesia, per the NHS. Antibiotics or pain relief around the procedure are decided by the team.

Luteal phase. Progesterone support starts after collection and continues through transfer and the early days afterward. Mayo Clinic notes that a pregnancy test is usually arranged around 12 days to two weeks after egg retrieval, depending on whether a fresh or frozen transfer is planned.

Throughout, the medicines list is live. If you need a new prescription from another doctor, or want to add something over the counter, the fertility team should hear about it the same day, because the plan is built around what they already know.

Why do I feel better on IVF meds? And why some people feel worse

People searching this question usually expect to be told it is imagination. It is not, though the reasons are more varied than any single hormone.

During stimulation, estrogen rises well above the levels of a natural cycle because many follicles are producing it at once. Estrogen has effects on mood, energy and sleep in some people, and a subset report feeling sharper, more energetic or simply more themselves during this phase. Others experience the opposite: irritability, tearfulness, bloating and headaches are common complaints, and Mayo Clinic lists mood changes and breast tenderness among the typical side effects of stimulation medicines.

Progesterone, which dominates after egg collection, tends to pull in the other direction. Fatigue, low mood and a foggy feeling are frequently described, and they can be hard to distinguish from the anxiety of the waiting period.

Then there are non-hormonal reasons for feeling better. A cycle gives structure to a period of life that may have felt shapeless and powerless. Daily injections are concrete acts in service of a goal. Frequent contact with a team can be reassuring. None of this is placebo in the dismissive sense; it is the ordinary psychology of doing something rather than waiting.

Why does this belong in an article about medicines? Because mood changes during a cycle can lead people to adjust other medicines on their own. Someone who feels unusually well on stimulation may be tempted to pause an antidepressant; someone who feels low on progesterone may want to start one. Both are decisions for the prescriber, who can tell the difference between a hormone phase and a change in the underlying condition.

If your mood changes markedly in either direction during a cycle, say so at your next monitoring visit. It is useful clinical information, and the team will have heard it many times before.

What people often get wrong: pineapple, cleanses and stopping medicines

Fertility forums are generous with advice, and some of it has become ritual. A few corrections, in order of how often they come up.

Pineapple core after transfer. The theory is that bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, acts as a mild anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory that helps implantation. No clinical trial has tested this in IVF, and the amount of bromelain in a slice of fruit is tiny compared with the doses used in enzyme studies. Eating pineapple is harmless for most people; expecting it to change an outcome is not supported by evidence. If a ritual helps you feel calmer, keep it, but know what it is.

“Detox” before a cycle. Cleanses, fasts and herbal detox kits have no demonstrated role in improving egg or embryo quality, and some herbal products interact with medicines. The team would rather you ate regular meals and kept your usual medicines steady.

Stopping medicines to “clean the slate”. This is the myth with real potential for harm. Abruptly stopping antidepressants, anticonvulsants, thyroid hormone or blood pressure medicines can cause withdrawal effects, seizures or dangerous blood pressure swings. The NHS is explicit that anyone planning a pregnancy should talk to the prescriber before changing any medicine. Stability is the goal, not absence.

More supplements means more support. Several high-dose antioxidants and “egg quality” stacks are marketed with confidence that the trial literature does not share. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that supplements can carry risks at high intakes and can interact with medicines. One well-chosen prenatal vitamin agreed with your team usually covers what the evidence supports.

“Natural” means safe. St John’s wort is natural and alters liver metabolism of many medicines. Vitamin A is natural and harmful in excess during pregnancy. The label does not tell you which category a product falls into. Your team can.

Questions to ask your care team about medications before IVF

The planning appointment moves quickly, and the questions you meant to ask tend to surface in the car afterward. Writing them down beforehand helps. These are the ones that most often turn out to matter.

• Which of my current medicines, if any, need to be reviewed with the prescriber before we start, and will you contact them or should I?
• Are there any over-the-counter medicines I should check with you before taking during stimulation, and does the answer change after transfer?
• Which supplements do you recommend for me specifically, and which would you prefer I stop? Is my prenatal vitamin suitable?
• If I need a medicine for an unexpected illness mid-cycle, who should I call, and how quickly?
• What side effects of the stimulation medicines are expected, and which ones would you want to hear about straight away?
• How will you decide whether to adjust the protocol during monitoring, and what would make you cancel or postpone?
• What is my personal risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and what steps are in the plan to reduce it?
• If this cycle does not go ahead as planned, what would need to change before the next one?

Notice what these questions have in common. None of them asks the team to promise an outcome; all of them ask how decisions will be made and who makes them. That framing tends to produce clearer answers, and it keeps the responsibility where it belongs.

One more question is worth asking even if it feels awkward: whether anything you have disclosed changes your eligibility or timing. People sometimes leave an appointment unsure whether a medicine mentioned in passing has quietly altered the plan. Ask directly, and ask for the answer in writing if it is complicated. A short summary of the agreed medicines, what to pause and what to continue, is reasonable to request and useful to have on your phone.

When to call your doctor during an IVF cycle

Most of an IVF cycle is uneventful in the medical sense, even when it is eventful emotionally. A few symptoms, though, need a same-day call to the fertility team or, if they are severe, emergency care.

The most important condition to recognize is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), in which the stimulated ovaries become swollen and fluid shifts into the abdomen. Mayo Clinic describes mild bloating and discomfort as common after stimulation, but lists the following as signs that warrant urgent contact: rapid weight gain over a day or two, severe or worsening abdominal pain, persistent nausea or vomiting, a noticeably swollen abdomen, shortness of breath, reduced urine output, or feeling faint. OHSS can become severe quickly, and early assessment matters.

Other red flags during a cycle include heavy vaginal bleeding, fever after egg collection, severe pelvic pain on one side, pain, swelling or redness in a calf, chest pain, or a sudden severe headache or visual disturbance. Any of these needs prompt medical attention.

Medicine-related reasons to call are just as valid. If you have taken something you were not sure about, missed or mistimed an injection, had a reaction at an injection site that is spreading or very painful, or started a new prescription from another doctor, the team wants to know the same day, not at the next scheduled visit. They would far rather field a call that turns out to be nothing than discover a problem at monitoring.

Mental health belongs on this list too. If low mood becomes persistent, if anxiety is stopping you from functioning, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your doctor or local crisis services immediately. Fertility teams expect these conversations and can involve counseling and other support.

Keep the clinic’s out-of-hours number somewhere you can find it without searching. The team has built the plan around what they know; let them keep knowing.

Frequently asked questions

What medications are typically prescribed before IVF?

A typical cycle uses several medicines in sequence: sometimes an oral contraceptive or estrogen to schedule the cycle, a GnRH agonist or antagonist to prevent early ovulation, daily gonadotropin injections to grow follicles, a single trigger injection to mature the eggs, and progesterone afterward to support the uterine lining. The exact combination is chosen by the treating team based on your history and response, so protocols differ between people.

What disqualifies you from doing IVF?

Very few things are absolute barriers. Teams may advise against treatment when pregnancy itself would carry a very high medical risk, when cancer treatment is active, or when baseline tests suggest the ovaries are unlikely to respond. Far more often, a medicine or condition leads to a delay rather than a refusal: unstable thyroid disease, poorly controlled diabetes, or a prescription that must be switched before conception. Funding criteria are separate from medical suitability.

Which supplements should I avoid during IVF?

The NHS advises against supplements containing vitamin A as retinol and against high-dose products not designed for pregnancy. Herbal remedies such as St John’s wort can interact with other medicines, and multi-ingredient fertility blends are generally unstudied. Beyond folic acid and a prenatal vitamin agreed with your team, extra supplements are not neutral additions; mention each one so the team can account for it.

Why eat pineapple during IVF?

The idea comes from bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple core thought to reduce inflammation and thin the blood slightly. No clinical trial has shown that eating pineapple improves implantation, and the amount of bromelain in a slice is far below the doses used in enzyme research. Pineapple is a harmless food for most people, but it should be understood as a comforting ritual rather than a treatment.

Why do I feel better on IVF meds?

During stimulation, estrogen rises well above natural levels, and some people notice more energy, better mood or sharper focus as a result; others feel irritable or tearful. The structure and sense of purpose of a cycle also lift mood for many. After egg collection, progesterone often causes fatigue and low mood. These are expected hormone effects, so tell your team rather than adjusting other medicines yourself.

Should I stop my antidepressant before starting IVF?

Not without talking to the prescriber. Stopping antidepressants abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms and relapse, and the NHS advises anyone planning a pregnancy to review medicines with their doctor rather than stopping them. Many antidepressants are compatible with trying to conceive; some may be switched. The fertility team and the prescribing clinician should agree a plan together before stimulation begins.

Can I take ibuprofen or other painkillers during IVF?

Ask your team before taking NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen, because they act on prostaglandin pathways involved in ovulation, and many clinics have specific advice around egg collection and embryo transfer. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is generally the first option discussed in pregnancy planning according to the NHS. Check combination cold-and-flu products too, as they often contain additional painkillers or decongestants.

Do I need to tell my fertility doctor about nasal sprays, creams and patches?

Yes. Medicines applied to the skin, nose or eyes are absorbed to varying degrees and count as medicines for the review. Retinoid acne gels are a particular example that the NHS flags for review before trying to conceive. Steroid sprays, hormone creams and injectable treatments for migraine or arthritis should all be on the list so the team can check timing and safety.

How long do IVF injections last before egg collection?

The NHS describes daily gonadotropin injections typically continuing for about 10 to 12 days, with blood tests and ultrasound scans every few days to track follicle growth. If an agonist protocol is used, a suppression phase of around two weeks usually comes first. Egg collection is scheduled 34 to 38 hours after the trigger injection. Your own timeline depends on how your ovaries respond.

What are the warning signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome?

Mayo Clinic lists rapid weight gain, severe or worsening abdominal pain, persistent nausea or vomiting, a visibly swollen abdomen, shortness of breath, reduced urination and feeling faint as signs that need urgent medical contact. Mild bloating after stimulation is common, but these symptoms suggest fluid shifting into the abdomen and can worsen quickly. Call your fertility team the same day or seek emergency care if symptoms are severe.

References

• NHS: IVF, what happens
• MedlinePlus: In vitro fertilization (IVF)

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.