Gonadotropins are hormones that act on the ovary to recruit and grow follicles. They stimulate the development of eggs and trigger estrogen production, which are key steps in both the natural menstrual cycle and IVF treatment. This is the “stim” part of ovarian stimulation.
Common fertility medications include:
- Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) (e.g., Menopur, Menotropin), which contains natural FSH and LH, another gonadotropin that supports estrogen production and helps prepare the follicle for ovulation.
- Recombinant FSH (e.g., Gonal-F, Follistim)
Synonyms:
FSH, LH, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, Follistim, Gonal-F, Menopur, Menotropin, hMG