Getting Pregnant and Fertility Drugs: Pergonal

Perogal is a popular brand of the generic drug menotropins, used to treat fertility. Menotropins are used to treat fertility problems in men and women, and they are a mixture of the naturally occurring hormones follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Thus they work to make you fertile in the same way these hormones do.

In women, FSH stimulates the growth of the ovarian follicle - the developing egg and the cells surrounding the egg that produce the hormones needed to sustain pregnancy. LH, on the other hand, triggers ovulation. So together, FSH and LH cause a woman's follicles to develop and then move from the ovary into the fallopian tube - making themselves ready to be fertilized. Since menotropins are comprised on FSH and LH, they should do the same thing for women facing fertility problems. Menotropins are often given with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which works similarily to LH, making sure ovulation occurs at the expected time.

Menotropins can also be used in prepatarion for in vitro fertilization (IVF) since they can stimulate the ovary to produce several follicles, which can then be used for IVF or gamete intrafallopian transfer.

In men, menotropins stimulate the production of sperm.

Pergonal Uses and Precautions

The average dose of menotropins used to stimulate ovulation is 150 IU - 75 IU of FSH and 75 IU of LH. These are normally injected into a muscle three times a week for at least four months. It is very important to follow your dosage schedule and keep all of your doctors appointments so that your progress can be monitored. Your doctor may also recommend you monitor your basal body temperature daily so you can identify when you are ovulating.

This drug should not be taken by anyone who has an allergy to any of the ingredients. Also, women who already have high levels of FSH and men who already have high levels of gonadotropins should not take this medication since their infertility likely has other causes. Women with ovarian cysts or enlargements, uncontrolled thyroid and adrenal gland dysfunction, abnormal vaginal bleeding, lesions inside the head, and those who are pregnant should also not take this medication.