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Protocols?

Protocols

When it comes to ICSI / IVF

What is the difference between a short protocol and a long one?

We have our first proper appointment on 16th Dec at Woking Nuffied (private)

(DH has SA on 8th first)

Before we go, I just wanted to get my head around the entire lingo?

Thanks :\)

Replies

  • Hi Fairythalia

    The basic difference is with the long protocol you start by stopping your natural cycle - in effect, bringing on a sort of mini-menopause. This is called down-regulating, and can take anything between one and eight weeks.

    Once you've been given the go-ahead to start, you then move into the stimulating phase, where you kick-start your cycle again and take hormones (FSH) to stimulate your ovaries to produce lots of eggs. Your ovaries always produce several follicles, but usually one becomes dominant and the others fade away, so that you're left with just one follicle producing one egg in a normal cycle. The drugs aim to stop one follicle from becoming dominant and make all of the follicles continue to develop. You have regular scans to check the size and number of your follicles and the thickness of your lining - in my clinic these are every other day during the stimming process. When the lead follicles reach a certain size and you have a nice plump lining, egg collection will be scheduled and you'll take a trigger shot of HCG to make your eggs mature. Egg collection must take place 36 hours after the trigger shot, so you find you usually have to take that shot in the middle of the night.

    The short protocol goes with your natural cycle, so you go straight into stimulation and don't have to down-regulate before you start. The stimulation phase is pretty much the same as for the long protocol. Short protocol is generally used for people who have previously responded badly on the long protocol or people who are expected to respond badly because of their age or FSH/AMH levels.

    Good luck with your appointments - hope all goes well for you xx
  • Don't worry if you get put on the short protocol. Sometimes it's just the preference of the clinic. I was put on it at age 28 for my first cycle and with perfectly good FSH levels.
    Good luck!
  • Wow, LDOM: so much info, brilliant

    thanks to both of you, it is really helpful.

    I'll know more then them by the time I get there! image

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