What to know about fertility shots

You’re ready to devote your time, emotional reserves and income to getting pregnant. Up until now, your physical discomfort has been at the hands of skilled and ultra-competent healthcare professionals. You’ve endured blood draws, vaginal ultrasounds, and possibly even laparoscopic surgeries. But that was different. Now it’s you or a significant other who will literally stick it to you with fertility shots.

Assisted reproductive technology can seem overwhelming. But the end justifies the means. You and your fertility doctor have a plan that may include injections with intrauterine insemination (IUI) or invitro fertilization (IVF).

There’s that word again. Injections. Shots. Needles. Sharps. Take a deep breath and face your fears. This is the tool that delivers hope. Under a doctor’s care, fertility shots can work wonders. This medication can help develop eggs, tell your body when to release those eggs, and nourish a growing baby after conception.

Texas Fertility Center will provide extensive and compassionate injection training with practice sessions until you feel comfortable. We understand the stress you endure. Our team wants to make injections as painless and stress free as possible. In the end, it is common for us to hear that the injections are much easier than patients have initially expected.

A clean start with fertility shots

After a TFC injection class, prepare a place at home where you’ll administer your fertility shots. This could be the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or anyplace with a clean surface. Here, you will assemble all the supplies you’ll need so they are within reach. For cycles that enlist multiple medications, consider labeling clear plastic containers for each prescription.

Always begin by washing your hands with antibacterial soap and water. The needle should never come in contact with anything. When in doubt, throw it out. Next, rub the cap of the medication container with an alcohol swab and follow the instructions provided to you. You might need to mix or dilute a medicine before drawing it into the syringe. Or, the doctor may order pre-filled syringes.

Rise to the occasion

It’s important that you expel any air that remains in the liquid medication. To do this, you’ll point the needle toward the sky, draw slightly back on the plunger and lightly flick the syringe. Let the air bubbles that appear rise to the surface. Then, depress the plunger slightly until they escape out of the tip. A tiny bit of liquid may overflow, too.

Your injection will fall into one of two categories: subcutaneous (under the skin) or intramuscular (in the muscle). Subcutaneous injections go in enter either in the abdomen or upper thigh. They tend to be relatively painless. The longer needle of intramuscular injections requires an injection site with more muscle tissue—the thigh or hip. It will hurt more than a sub-Q shot but less than a blood draw.

Although most of the injections are given subcutaneously, occasionally intramuscular injections are required. These intramuscular injections are typically given in the thigh or the hip (an area with more muscle tissue). These injections may hurt a little more than a sub-Q shot but are less painful than a blood draw.

Texas Fertility Center provides an in-depth guide for each type of injection, in-office training, and phone support. Plus, you will practice on a rubber ball or practice pad until you feel ready for human patient. Contact us to learn more about fertility shots.