Repeated use of medications for ovulation induction after unsuccessful treatment: A cause of concern for infertile couples

The field of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) is rapidly progressing withmany new advances to help infertile or sub-fertile couples to conceive and finally givebirth (1, 2). The application of ARTs has solved the problems associated with infertilityin many couples and has improved the results of infertility treatment. More than 5million children have been born through these technologies and about 40 millioncouples have benefited after ARTs worldwide (3). However, ARTs may be associated withcomplications in women and fetuses after taking prescribed drugs (4). The side effectsof different medications cause concern in couples who try several times to conceive withARTs.In a qualitative study, which was conducted on the experiences of 29 infertilecouples with unsuccessful treatment using face-to-face in-depth interviews, manyparticipants expressed their experiences of the immediate and long-term complicationsof medications used for ovulation induction. The immediate complications includedhyper stimulation, frequent and painful injections, and the local complications ofprogesterone injections, which is discussed in more detail:(1) Some participants experienced ovarian hyperstimulation after taking prescribeddrugs. The ARTs may be associated with severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome(OHSS) (5). OHSS is a rare and potentially life-threatening problem that occurs in theprocess of infertility treatment (6).(2) The majority of participants in the study suffered from frequent and painfulinjections. Infertility treatment is hard and frustrating, but infertile women tolerate itbecause of the value of its outcome (7). Our study showed that some infertile womenwere upset to restart painful procedures after unsuccessful treatment.(3) Many participants complained of the local complications of progesterone injectionsthat cause a stiff and painful injection site. One of the participants said that shehad hives after the injection of drugs and needed to use corticosteroids and so washospitalized.