Mentally preparing for IVF often involves hours of research, scrolling through support forums and chatting to others who’ve already run the gauntlet. But you're not alone if you’re scratching your head, wondering what the heck premature ovulation during an IVF-assisted cycle is.
It wasn't on my radar either until it happened to me.
My first round of IVF was going really well, I had 16 follicles growing, and my hormone levels were on point for what my fertility nurses were calling the perfect cycle… until they weren’t.
On day 9 of my cycle, after 4 days of taking Orgalutran (the drug that prevents you from ovulating), my blood showed an increase in the luteinising hormone (LH) and FSH. My body had started to release eggs, which should not happen during an assisted cycle.
Premature ovulation is pretty rare; in my case, my body didn’t respond to the ovulation suppression drug, which only happens in around 1% of cases. Pretty unlucky, huh?
Naturally, I jumped on Google and wanted to know everything I could about what had happened, but there wasn’t much online. Presumably, because it really doesn’t happen all that often.
So, here I am piecing together tidbits from my Fertility Doctor (and Dr Google), doing my best to shed a little light on it and why it happens.
What is premature ovulation?
An IVF cycle typically starts with an ovarian stimulation protocol which can vary from patient to patient depending on your medical history. These medications stimulate your ovaries to develop more than one egg at a time. Once your follicles are well on their way, you introduce an ovulation suppression drug that prevents you from releasing your eggs before retrieval.
Premature ovulation is when you ovulate naturally before your fertility doctor has retrieved any eggs. Your fertility clinic usually picks it up when checking your hormone levels. It’s the main reason they prick you for blood every couple of days.
Why does it happen?
Premature ovulation doesn’t happen often. But there are a few reasons why it could happen during your IVF cycle:
Missing one of your ovulation suppression shots
Forgetting to take your medication at the same time every day
Taking your trigger shot too early before egg retrieval
Your body overrides or doesn’t respond to the drug (which is what happened to me)
So, what happens next?
My fertility clinic decided to “crash my cycle,” causing me to ovulate all 16 eggs and force my period to come early (within 5-7 days). They wanted me to get the best eggs possible, and for me, that meant ending my cycle mid-way through and trying something different.
While initially shocked and very disappointed, we’re now grateful that we get to try something else, hopefully improving our chances of getting more good quality eggs. Fertility treatments are already so hard, and no matter how much you prepare yourself for a negative outcome, it still smacks you in the face when it happens to you.
Be kind to yourself; you can’t prepare for every possible scenario. If you’re worried about premature ovulation, it’s best to talk to your fertility doctor.
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