Medication Information Leaflet

What is this medication for?

Fertility medications remain the primary treatment for women to enhance reproductive fertility. There are oral and injectable fertility drugs. This leaflet will only cover specific fertility injections.

You will need to take these medications to stimulate your ovaries to develop and release mature eggs ready for fertilization. These will help increase your chances of getting pregnant. Your doctor will decide on the best medication for you.

Some of the common fertility injections include:

• Gonal-F®, Puregon®, Menopur®, Rekovelle®, Pergoveris, Elonva®
  • This injection works in the development and maturation of the follicles (which contain eggs)
• Orgalutran®, Cetrotide®, Decapeptyl®
  • This injection works by preventing early release of the egg
• Ovidrel®
  • This injection works by stimulating the release of mature eggs.

How should I take or use this medication?

• Do not stop using your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
• You are advised to inject the medication according to your treatment schedule and doctor’s instructions. Do not change the doses of your injection by yourself.
• Fertility injections are usually given just under the skin (subcutaneously). You will be taught how to inject the medication by your doctor or nurse.
• It is advisable to rotate the injection sites to reduce skin irritation. Do not inject into any areas in which you feel lumps, firm knots, depressions (where a portion of the skin seems to sink in), pain or see discolourations.

What should I do if I forget to take or use this medication?

If you forget to inject a dose, contact your nurse or doctor immediately for advice. Do not inject two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What precautions should I take when taking or using this medication?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
• You have a known or suspected cancer or tumour of the ovary, breast, uterus
• You have ever had twisting of an ovary (ovarian torsion)

What are some common side effects of this medication?

• Nausea, vomiting
• Stomach pain or swelling, bloating
• Pelvic pain and discomfort
• Breast tenderness
• Headache
  • You may take Paracetamol to manage headaches.
• Injection site reactions (such as bruising, pain, redness, swelling and itching)
  • You should change injection sites daily to reduce possible injection site reactions

Inform your doctor if these side effects become severe and bothersome.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) happens when too many ovarian follicles have developed in response to the usual dosage of medication. OHSS is usually mild and only causes a slight lower abdominal discomfort in most cases. Although it is not common, you may still need medical attention as it can be potentially life threatening, if left untreated in severe cases.

You may be developing OHSS if you experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• Pain and lower abdominal discomfort that do not go away
• Feeling sick and vomiting
• Bloating and pain in the stomach area
• Shortness of breath/feeling out of breath
• Dehydration
• Reduction of urine volume
• Abdominal pain

If any of the symptoms above worsen or do not go away, you should see your healthcare professional immediately

How should I store this medication?

Keep this medication away from children. 

Refer to the individual package inserts or medication labels for the storage conditions. 

How do I throw away this medication safely?

If used at home, you may throw this injection away along with the used needles, into a metal tin, or glass jar or thick plastic container (e.g. detergent bottles) to prevent any needle stick injury.

Disclaimer

Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup, and supported by the Ministry of Health. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated on Oct 2022