Minimal stimulation IVF is a group of IVF protocols that use very little to no fertility hormones. Minimal stimulation cycles are not for everyone, as some women require high doses of fertility hormones to have a successful IVF cycle. However, for women who are good candidates for the procedure, minimal stimulation IVF comes with a lower risk of side effects and can be more affordable than a traditional IVF cycle.

How Minimal Stimulation IVF Works

During a traditional IVF cycle, the woman receives injectable gonadotropins to stimulate her ovaries to produce many more follicles than usual. This results in a maximum amount of eggs being retrieved, which increases the chances that one or more of the eggs will be fertilized and develop into a healthy embryo, which goes on to be a live birth.Not all women need or benefit from the high doses used during a traditional IVF cycle, in which case a minimal stimulation cycle may be more appropriate. During a minimal stimulation cycle, only small amounts of medication are used. In some cases, no medication may be used. Doctors are especially likely to recommend minimal stimulation cycles for women who have had ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in response to previous cycles of fertility hormones.‍

Benefits

‍Some of the benefits of minimal stimulation fertility cycles include:

• Lower risk of side effects - Reducing or eliminating the use of injectable gonadotropins also reduces the chances of side effects from their use. In particular, the risk of OHSS, a painful and potentially serious condition, is greatly reduced.
• Less expensive - Fertility hormones are very expensive to produce, because they must be identical to hormones created in the body and they must be safe for injection into the body. Using little to no hormones can make the procedure much more affordable.
• Does not create extra embryos - For many couples, the possibility of creating extra embryos is one of the advantages of a traditional IVF cycle. However, some couples prefer not to have more embryos than they can use, typically due to personal beliefs, in which case a minimal stimulation cycle may be the right choice.

Although not every woman can benefit from minimal stimulation IVF, this cutting-edge protocol is a strong choice for many couples getting treated for infertility. Dr. Randy Morris would be happy to meet with you about whether or not minimal stimulation in vitro fertilization is right for you. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or give us a call at (630) 357-6540.