Cycle monitoring allows your fertility doctor to find out exactly when you’re ovulating to know when the best time to inseminate or have sex would be and to increase the chances of a pregnancy. However, because everyone’s cycle is different, it is hard to anticipate how often you’ll need to visit the clinic, or when ovulation will occur.
When menstruation starts, so does your cycle monitoring schedule. You will need to visit the clinic on day two, three, or four of your cycle, so your fertility doctor can review your blood work, how many follicles you have, and if one follicle is beginning to mature. At this visit, your doctor will let you know when they would like to have you return which is usually somewhere between day 6 and 12 depending on the length of your cycle.
After this, you will be asked to come back every two to three days until you get closer to ovulation, where you will then need to return on a daily basis until ovulation. Each day that you’re asked to visit the clinic, you’ll need to get blood work done to monitor your hormone levels, have a transvaginal ultrasound to monitor your maturing follicle(s), and to meet with your fertility doctor to let you know when is best for you to return to cycle monitored again.
Ultrasound results are immediate and you can talk about them with your doctor before you leave.
Approximately 25 percent of female infertility cases stem from problems with ovulation, so ovulation induction can be a beneficial and cost-effective first treatment.