Contraceptive pills, as the name suggests, are primarily used for contraception. However, when we hear that contraceptive pills need to be taken during the IVF cycle, it raises a lot of questions. Today, let’s explore what American IVF experts have to say about this to help friends planning to undergo IVF gain a more detailed understanding.

Why take contraceptive pills before going to the United States for IVF?

Contraceptive pills are mainly composed of estrogen and progestin, as well as some single progestin and non-steroidal drugs. Contraceptive pills can affect different stages of the reproductive process to achieve contraceptive goals.

According to American reproductive experts, the main purpose of taking contraceptive pills before IVF is to regulate the female menstrual cycle, making it easier to schedule appointments for weekly medical consultations. In addition, contraceptive pills can effectively increase the egg retrieval rate, helping to obtain multiple high-quality mature eggs. This is because taking contraceptive pills can lower pituitary regulation, thereby adjusting the hormonal levels, suppressing or reducing the occurrence of spontaneous LH peaks, preventing spontaneous ovulation, and facilitating better scheduling for the IVF procedure. Additionally, the short-term stimulating effect on Gn secretion in the early stages of medication can increase the number of recruited follicles, allowing more basic follicles in the ovaries to develop synchronously, thus improving the egg retrieval rate during IVF stimulation.

Taking contraceptive pills can inhibit the growth and maturation of dominant follicles, providing sufficient nutrients to the basic follicles in the ovaries that are about to degenerate, allowing them to continue to grow and develop. This results in uniform and consistent sizes, ensuring that after the stimulation medication, multiple mature and high-quality eggs can be obtained, laying a solid foundation for the IVF cycle.

What precautions should be taken when taking contraceptive pills?

American reproductive experts suggest that doctors usually guide the intake of contraceptive pills based on the client’s physical condition. Generally, oral contraceptive pills are taken for 7 to 10 days (specific time varies from person to person), and women should follow the doctor’s advice and take the medication as directed.

For women who need to take contraceptive pills to regulate their hormones, it is recommended to take the medication at the same time and in the same dosage to avoid missing or delaying doses. This helps prevent fluctuations in hormone levels in the body, which may adversely affect the IVF cycle.

Additionally, since everyone’s body condition is different, if some women experience nausea, slight dizziness, etc., after taking the medication, this is considered a normal reaction. Therefore, there is no need to worry excessively, and taking the medication before bedtime can effectively alleviate the symptoms.

Is it necessary to take contraceptive pills before IVF?

Regarding this question, American reproductive experts emphasize that it is not mandatory to take contraceptive pills before undergoing IVF. The decision depends on the individual’s actual situation. For women with hormonal disorders/irregular menstrual cycles or those with ovulation disorders, doctors may recommend taking contraceptive pills to regulate hormones, thereby adjusting the female menstrual cycle to make it regular and facilitate the planning of the IVF cycle in the United States.

If a woman has a normal menstrual cycle, good ovarian function, or is sensitive to contraceptive pills, it may not be necessary to take them. American IVF experts will plan the IVF cycle based on the woman’s natural menstrual cycle, and in that case, she only needs to arrive in the United States two days before the scheduled time.