Can Ovidrel (hCG trigger) lead to multiple births?
Yes. Ovidrel is an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) used to trigger ovulation or final oocyte maturation during fertility treatment. When the stimulation process produces more than one mature egg, releasing multiple eggs can increase the odds of twins or other multiples after Ovidrel triggers ovulation [1].
How does Ovidrel increase the chance of twins?
Ovidrel itself does not “create” multiple embryos. The key factor is usually how many follicles (and thus eggs) your ovaries develop before the trigger shot. If more than one follicle reaches a mature size, the hCG trigger can lead to ovulation from multiple follicles in the same cycle, which can result in multiple pregnancies (most commonly twins) [1].
What determines whether it results in twins versus a singleton?
The chance of multiples depends largely on treatment specifics, such as:
- How many follicles/eggs developed before the trigger
- The dosing and response to ovarian stimulation meds used alongside the trigger
- Timing and whether intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI) is used after the trigger
- Your baseline risk factors for multiple pregnancy
Clinicians often adjust stimulation or monitor with ultrasound to reduce the risk of high-order multiples.
What about IVF cycles using Ovidrel?
In IVF, “Ovidrel trigger” is commonly used to time egg retrieval rather than to cause intercourse-related ovulation. Multiple pregnancies can still occur if multiple embryos are transferred, but the mechanism is different from spontaneous multiple ovulation after intercourse [1].
Are there risks of multiple pregnancy from Ovidrel that are different from risks in general fertility treatment?
The pregnancy-level risks of multiples (like higher rates of preterm birth and complications) come from having more than one fetus. Ovidrel’s role is indirect: it increases the odds of multiples mainly when multiple eggs are released because of ovarian stimulation response [1].
Sources:
[1] https://www.drugs.com/ovidrel.html