Ovulation induction (OI)

Ovulation induction (OI) ensures you are releasing eggs at the right time, ready for fertilisation, through support of your own menstrual cycle. We’re here to help and advise whether this is the right treatment for you.

For natural conception to take place, eggs and sperm must meet in the fallopian tube so that a fertilised egg can grow into an embryo that will be nurtured by the uterus into a baby.

As an egg grows and matures in the ovary, its container – the follicle – produces hormones that prime the uterus. When the egg is released from the ovary (ovulation), the follicle switches its production of hormones, which act on the primed uterus to encourage the embryo to take and grow. If you don’t ovulate regularly each month, the likelihood of conceiving is significantly diminished.

There are a number of reasons you may currently not be producing eggs. However, regular ovulation can usually be restored using fertility drugs (pills or injections). Around seven out of 10 women taking these drugs will ovulate and four out of 10 will conceive in the first three months. The choice of drug will be made by our experts after careful assessment. Fertility drugs stimulate the development and ovulation of mature eggs to be released ready for fertilisation.

During an ovulation induction cycle, you will have ultrasound scans and blood tests to ensure the treatment is resulting in eggs developing and ovulating correctly.

Speak to one of our fertility teams, if you feel that ovulation induction treatment could help you. For more information, contact one of our many clinics in the East of England, including those at Cambridge, Norwich and Wickford.