A “trigger shot” is frequently combined with timed intercourse for Intrauterine insemination (IUI) or In vitro fertilization (IVF) operations. If the shot is part of your treatment plan, your doctor will explain when and how to administer it in conjunction with other medications and treatments.
Here’s more information about what a trigger shot is, what you might expect when you use one, and the success rate of this type of treatment.
What is a trigger shot?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), most commonly referred to as the “pregnancy hormone”, is the substance used in a conventional trigger shot. When administered as a trigger shot, hCG functions more similarly to your pituitary gland’s production of luteinizing hormone (LH). Just prior to ovulation, LH is released, which helps the eggs mature and become ready to burst from the ovary.
Gonadotropin therapy includes the use of trigger shots. Over the past century, this kind of reproductive treatment has been used in many ways and has improved over the previous 30 years. Gonadotropins stimulate the ovaries, making them beneficial if:
- You do not ovulate at all
- Your ovulation is considered “weak”
- You want to manage ovulation as part of other operations
Trigger shots are administered once each cycle, before ovulation. They can be injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously. They’re usually self-administered, and many ladies prefer to receive the shot under their abdominal skin.
Whereas other gonadotropins, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH, operate on both egg growth and maturation, an hCG trigger shot aids the ovaries in the release of mature eggs during ovulation.
Who takes the trigger shot?
Again, the trigger shot is administered as part of fertility treatment. It is frequently administered in conjunction with medications and must be carefully scheduled and monitored. ART methods are very intricate, personalized processes. Your doctor will adjust your unique protocol based on what has or has not worked in the past. In general, the trigger shot is used in concert with other medications to help with:
- Anovulation- When your body does not produce eggs on its own
- Unexplained infertility- Where the cause is unknown
- In vitro fertilization– For a number of infertility problems
There are a variety of applications and dosages. If this is your first IUI cycle, your doctor may decide to wait and see if you ovulate naturally before adding a trigger shot to your protocol. If you’ve had a trigger shot before, your doctor may adjust the dosage for maximum effectiveness or in defence to any side effects.
How is the trigger shot timed?
Ovulation often occurs 36 to 40 hours after delivering a trigger shot. Because the shot is utilized differently in IUI and IVF, the timing of the shot is critical in connection to the other procedures you are doing.
Your doctor may have extremely precise instructions for you to follow, so if you have any questions regarding your regimen, give your clinic a quick call.
What is timed intercourse or IUI?
With timed intercourse or IUI, your doctor can predict when ovulation will occur and then time sex or IUI for the greatest results. Here are the steps.
- Your doctor will monitor your follicles until they are ready
- You will administer the injection as indicated
- Your doctor will plan your procedure (or instruct you to have intercourse) to coincide with ovulation a specific number of hours following the shot
With IUI, your doctor uses ultrasound to monitor your follicles as you approach ovulation or the middle of your menstrual cycle.
Your doctor will most likely approve the shot when your follicles are between 15 and 20 millimeters in size and your endometrium (uterine lining) is at least 7 to 8 millimeters thick. However, individual criteria differ among physicians.
Your IUI is normally scheduled to coincide with ovulation, which occurs 24 to 36 hours after you take the shot. Following that, your doctor may recommend taking progesterone pills (orally or vaginally) to aid with implantation.
What is the use of trigger shot in IVF
The timing is identical to IVF. Your doctor will use ultrasound to monitor your ovaries and give you the go-ahead to administer the trigger shot when your follicles reach the size specified by your clinic. This might be anything between 15 and 22 millimeters. This is normally between days 8 and 12 of your cycle.
After the shot, you will schedule your egg retrieval within 36 hours. The eggs are then fertilized with sperm from either your partner or a donor. The fertilized eggs are then either transferred (for a fresh transfer) within 3 to 5 days of retrieval or frozen (for later transfer).
In IVF, the trigger shot is administered before the egg retrieval in order to help in the process known as meiosis. During meiosis, eggs go through a crucial division in which their chromosomes change from 46 to 23, preparing them for fertilization.
Before the eggs naturally release, your doctor will schedule an egg extraction surgery to collect them for fertilization in a lab. Once fertilized, the embryos are placed back into the uterus for implantation.
Side effects of the trigger shot
There are several potential side effects to the trigger shot. The most common symptoms are:
bloating and stomach or pelvic pain. You may also feel pain or tenderness around the injection site.
Occupational health and safety hazards are also a risk. With OHSS, your ovaries swell and fill with fluid. Mild cases may cause abdominal pain, bloating, and digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
Severe OHSS is unusual and can result in a medical emergency. Signs include rapid weight gain (more than 2 pounds per day) and abdominal bloating, as well as severe abdominal pain or nausea/vomiting.
Conclusion
If you’re considering getting the trigger shot and want to know if it’s right for you, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Again, the shot is only administered during monitored cycles involving timed intercourse, IUI, or IVF.
To utilize it, you will need to schedule regular checkups to monitor the number of your follicles and the thickness of your uterine lining. It may sound like a lot of work, but couples have had success using this strategy when combined with other fertility treatments.