What are ovarian stimulation and hyperstimulation?
Ovarian stimulation is the process of inducing ovarian follicular development and oocyte maturation using medications. Stimulation can be used to induce a normal menstrual cycle (i.e. a cycle in which a single, mature oocyte is released) in an anovulatory women (i.e. a woman who does not have periods). However stimulation is most commonly used to induce ovarian hyperstimulation. Ovarian hyperstimulation is a menstrual cycle in which several ovarian follicles develop simultaneously and release multiple mature oocytes. Ovarian stimulation is a standard procedure in assisted reproduction and is used in conjunction with in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI) and other assisted reproductive techniques (ART). In addition to preparing oocytes for retrieval, ovarian stimulation also prepares a woman’s uterus for embryo implantation, by supporting the growth of the endometrial lining, the tissues into which the embryo will implant if an egg is fertilised. The process of o
