Health Centres - Menopur (human menopausal gonadotrophin)
How does it work?
Menopur injection contains human menopausal gonadotrophin (sometimes known as menotrophin) as the active ingredient. Human menopausal gonadotrophin is a combination of two naturally-occurring female hormones, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), extracted and purified from the urine of post-menopausal women. It is used in the treatment of infertility.
FSH and LH directly affect the ovaries in women and the testicles in men.
In the ovaries, FSH increases the number of growing follicles and stimulates their development. Within the follicles are the developing eggs. FSH also increases the production of oestrogen, and under the influence of this hormone, the largest follicle continues to develop. When the follicles have developed appropriately, another medicine called human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), eg Choragon is given. This causes ovulation to happen.
This medicine is used to stimulate the development of follicles and eggs in women who are not having menstrual periods and are infertile due to problems with ovulation. It is used for women who have tried treatment with clomifene, eg Clomid, when this has been unsuccessful.
This medicine can also be used to stimulate multiple follicles and eggs to develop in women who are having assisted conception such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). The eggs are harvested and fertilised in a test tube and the resulting embryo is then implanted in the womb.
In men, FSH is involved in the production and development of sperm in the testicles. This medicine is used to increase sperm production in men who have a low sperm count as a result of low hormone levels. It is also used in combination with human chorionic gonadotrophin HCG, which increases the production of testosterone in the testicles and helps the FSH to work.
Menopur is given by injection into a muscle or under the skin.
What is it used for?
- Stimulating the production of eggs in women having treatment for infertility caused by problems with ovulation.
- Stimulating the production of eggs in women having in-vitro fertilisation treatment.
-
Infertility in men caused by low hormone levels that have resulted in a low sperm count.
Warning!
- Before treatment is started your doctor will want to check the functioning of your adrenal glands and thyroid gland, and that you do not have tumours of the pituitary or hypothalamic glands in the brain, or higher than normal blood levels of a hormone called prolactin, all of which can affect fertility.
- This medicine can cause over-stimulation of the ovaries that can be dangerous (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or OHSS). For this reason, it is important to tell your doctor immediately if you experience pain or swelling of the abdomen, weight gain, difficulty breathing, increased thirst, decreased urine output, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea during treatment.
- If during treatment your blood or urine tests show high levels of oestrogen, or if an ultrasound scan shows excessive development of follicles in your ovaries, this indicates that your ovaries may be overstimulated, which could lead to OHSS. Treatment with this medicine should be stopped immediately and you should not have sex, or use barrier contraception for at least four days.
- If this treatment does result in pregnancy, there are a few risks that you should be aware of. You should discuss these with your doctor before starting treatment. Pregnancy following treatment with Menopur is more likely to result in a multiple pregnancy (twins or more) than if you had conceived naturally. This carries an increased risk of problems for the mother during the pregnancy, and at or around the time of birth. There is a greater risk of miscarriage or abortion in women having fertility treatment than in the general population. There may also be a slighty higher risk of your baby being born with physical defects. There is a slightly higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy (where a fertilised egg implants outside the uterus) after IVF treatment than in the general population.
Use with caution in
- women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- women at risk of blood clots in the blood vessels (thromboembolism, eg deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism), for example due to a personal or family history.
Not to be used in
- men and women with tumours of the pituitary or hypothalamic glands in the brain
- men with prostate or testicular cancer
- women with breast, uterine or ovarian cancer
- women with vaginal bleeding of unknown cause
- women with ovarian cysts or enlarged ovaries, not due to polycystic ovary syndrome
- women whose ovaries are not functioning properly
- women with blocked fallopian tubes, unless having IVF
- women with a physical defect of the reproductive organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and/or cervix)
- women who have had a premature menopause or hysterectomy
- women with uterine fibroids that may cause problems with a pregnancy
-
pregnancy
-
breastfeeding.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- This medicine must not be used in women who are already pregnant or breastfeeding. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Over stimulation of the ovaries (ovarian hyperstimulation), causing the production of many eggs
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- Enlarged abdomen
- Pain and inflammation at the injection site
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blood clot formation in a vein, usually of the leg (deep vein thrombosis)
- Allergic reactions
- Breast enlargement, weight gain and acne in men
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
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