How does it work?
Fostimon injections contain the active ingredient urofollitropin, which is a form of a natural sex hormone called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). It is extracted and highly purified from the urine of post menopausal women. It has the same effects as natural FSH and is used in the treatment of infertility.
FSH directly affects the ovaries in women, where it increases the number of growing follicles and stimulates their development. Within the follicles are the developing eggs. FSH also increases the production of oestrogen, and under the influence of this hormone, the largest follicle continues to develop. Urofollitropin has the same effects as the natural hormone.
This medicine is used to stimulate the development of a mature follicle and egg in women who are having difficulties getting pregnant due to problems with ovulation. It is used for women who have tried treatment with clomifene, eg Clomid, when this has been unsuccessful.
When the follicle has developed appropriately, another medicine called human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), eg Choragon, is given. This causes ovulation to happen.
This medicine can also be used to stimulate multiple follicles and eggs to develop in women who are having assisted conception treatments such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). The eggs are harvested and fertilised in a test tube and the resulting embryo is then implanted in the womb.
Treatment with Fostimon is started under the supervision of a specialist trained in the treatment of fertility problems. The injections are administered either under the skin (subcutaneously) or into a muscle (intramuscularly). If you are going to administer the injections yourself, your doctor will show you how to inject them under the skin.
What is Fostimon used for?
- Stimulating the production of eggs in women having treatment for infertility caused by problems with ovulation, for example due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Stimulating the production of eggs in women having assisted conception treatment such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)), gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) or zygotes intra-fallopian transfer (ZIFT).