Updated by the Progyny Clinical Team — August 2025.
Fertility medications are prescription drugs that help people reach their family-building goals. They may be used for ovulation induction (OI) or controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) during in vitro fertilization (IVF).
These medications work in different ways. Some block certain brain receptors, while others mimic hormones your body naturally makes. You may take them by mouth, apply them vaginally, or give them as self-administered injections.
Before you start any medication or treatment plan, your reproductive endocrinologist (REI) will review your medical history and, if applicable, your partner’s history. A full evaluation, including a physical exam and lab testing, helps determine if there’s a reason you are having difficulty conceiving. From there, your REI will design a plan to give you the best chance of success.
Fertility medications that stimulate the ovaries
These medications increase the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sometimes luteinizing hormone (LH). Higher levels of these hormones stimulate your ovaries to produce more than one follicle in a cycle.
The dose and the expected response depend on whether the medication for OI or for COH before egg retrieval in IVF. Examples include:
- Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara) — oral medications often used for OI
- Follitropin alfa (Gonal-f) and follitropin beta (Follistim) — injectable medications that contain FSH
- Menotropins (Menopur) — an injectable medication that contains both FSH and LH
Fertility medications that prevent premature ovulation
In some treatment plans, especially IVF, your REI may prescribe medications to prevent ovulation from happening too soon. When your body is growing multiple eggs, estrogen levels rise quickly, which may signal ovulation before the follicles are ready for retrieval. Ovulation suppression medications give your follicles more time to mature.
These injectable drugs work by preventing the natural LH surge that triggers ovulation:
- Leuprolide acetate (Lupron) — a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist
- Cetrorelix (Cetrotide) and ganirelix — GnRH antagonists
- Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) — an oral progesterone medication
Fertility medications that trigger ovulation
If you don’t ovulate regularly, it can be harder to time intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI). Injectable medications called “triggers” can help you ovulate at a specific time.
The LH surge or trigger is an important step in egg maturation — even in IVF when eggs are retrieved before release. These trigger shots are carefully timed so the eggs can be retrieved before ovulation.
Once a follicle is mature (about 18 millimeters in diameter), these medications can cause ovulation within 36 to 40 hours:
- Choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel)
- Chorionic gonadotropin (Pregnyl, Novarel)
- Leuprolide acetate (Lupron)
Fertility medications that support implantation
After ovulation, the empty follicle becomes the corpus luteum, which makes progesterone. Progesterone helps prepare and stabilize the uterine lining for pregnancy.
If your progesterone levels are low, or in cases such as frozen embryo transfers where a corpus luteum may not be present, your provider may prescribe progesterone supplements. These may be injected, taken by mouth, or used as a vaginal suppository. Examples include:
- Progesterone in oil (injection)
- Progesterone (Endometrin, Crinone, Prometrium)
If you have questions or concerns, Progyny is here for you. Please contact your Progyny Care Advocate for support.
Disclaimer: The information provided by Progyny is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical guidance.