General Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Fertility Medications:

• Speak to your pharmacist if you have any questions about your medications (including how to take them, what they do, or if they may interact with any other medication you may be taking). It is especially important during the early stages of your treatment that you are comfortable with your medication and that you are taking it correctly.
• Plan ahead. When you are first administering an injectable or other medication make sure your pharmacist or other healthcare professional will be available to answer your call and walk you through any issues or questions that might arise.
• Take fertility medications around the same time daily. This enables the body to have appropriate levels of hormones during an entire 24-hour period.
• Keep all appointments with your fertility doctor. Your fertility healthcare team can screen for many of these drug-related problems before they occur and make appropriate changes to your medications as needed.
• Always inform your fertility doctor, nurse or pharmacist when you experience a problem. No question is ever trivial. Informing them will enable evaluation of your medications and your administration technique in order to help you get the most from your drug therapy.

Injectable Fertility Medications

Few people approach their first injection of a fertility medication without some degree of anxiety, and yet some of the most effective and commonly prescribed fertility medications on the market today are administered by injection. We've compiled some basic information about the types of injections you may have to take, as well as some important tips to keep in mind as you and your partner prepare to administer injections.

If you have more doubts or confusion about your injectable medications, feel free to call your pharmacist or your doctor's office to learn more. Your comfort and peace of mind is an important part of successful fertility treatment, and your health care team should be available to help whenever you need them.

How are fertility medications administered?

Injectable fertility medications are given either subcutaneously or intramuscularly. You should have clear instructions on the medication packaging information your doctor and/or pharmacist should also provide information to you about whether your medication(s) is/are to be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly.

• A subcutaneous (SQ) injection is one given into the tissue just beneath the skin layers. Convenient SQ injection sites include the abdomen and the upper thigh, where there tends to be loose skin and fatty tissue.
• An intramuscular injection (IM) is one given deep into a muscle. The most common recommended site for IM injections is the upper outer edge of the buttock muscle.
• For either IM or SQ injections, if the injection is to be given frequently, the injection sites can be rotated to different spots in the same area to protect the skin and avoid discomfort.

Injection Tips:

• Always check the expiration dates of the drug and any diluents
• Make sure that the vial or ampule contains the right drug in the right strength
• Wash your hands before starting to prepare the injection
• Disinfect the skin over the injection site with alcohol
• Always use a new needle for injecting (not the one used for mixing)
• Check the syringe for air bubbles before injecting. Tap syringe to remove small air bubbles
• Do not touch anything with the needle after the cap has been removed
• Injectable drug products should be checked visually for particles and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit
• Make sure that needles are disposed of properly

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Topics:

• Fertility and sexual health
• Men's Health
• Women's Health
• Drugs and Medicines