BCP as part of IVF?

chucktgirl · October 2012

Okay, so I didn't realize BCP were part of IVF! Now I'm seeing a bunch of other posters including it as part of their process. (I am also not being prescribed Lupron, which it seems everyone else is!) My RE originally put me on BCP last month because he expected me to have a HSC because of a bad SHG, but my SHG came out great instead! So anyway, he has left me on BCP for 25 days (longer than my normal cycle). I had no idea it was part of the IVF process! Can anyone enlighten me as to what part it plays? What is the purpose of having me on BCP before my period, when I would be due to have my normal period around the same time anyway? Does that make sense? I'm just trying to understand.

destinyr61309 · October 2012

My nurse refers to it as, and I quote, "Hijacking your cycle." They want complete control over what day you do what, and all that good stuff. I've read it can also help to sort of put your ovaries to "sleep" so they respond better to the stims. AND I've read that they can prevent cysts from forming that could ultimately mess with your cycle

pantsarella · October 2012

destinyr61309:
My nurse refers to it as, and I quote, "Hijacking your cycle." They want complete control over what day you do what, and all that good stuff. I've read it can also help to sort of put your ovaries to "sleep" so they respond better to the stims. AND I've read that they can prevent cysts from forming that could ultimately mess with your cycle

I've heard most of this. I've also heard that it helps to prevent OHSS.

Rvnsgrl81 · October 2012

destinyr61309:
My nurse refers to it as, and I quote, "Hijacking your cycle." They want complete control over what day you do what, and all that good stuff. I've read it can also help to sort of put your ovaries to "sleep" so they respond better to the stims. AND I've read that they can prevent cysts from forming that could ultimately mess with your cycle :

this is what I was told too.

Edwina.McDunnough · October 2012

Except for MDLF it's not an absolute part of the protocol. Many clinics use BCP for no other reason than to batch their patients but it can suppress your ovaries as well. Plenty of people don't use Lupron. An antagonist cycle has the advantage of allowing a Lupron trigger for those at risk of OHSS and because in and of itself there is no prior suppression, an RE could conceivably manage that suppression (via BCP or EPP or none at all).

Suppression works like this, and remember, not everyone needs it or should have it. You are always creating antral follicles and usually they just bubble up and die off before maturing. During your luteal phase some start getting recruited for your next cycle, with the goal being that one of these will reach maturity and ovulate the following cycle. Suppressing that the cycle prior to your IVF stim cycle means starting off with a clean slate and theoretically allows all your latent antral follicles to develop at a more even rate, this allowing for the maximum # of follicles to develop as close to the same size and at the same rate during your stim. What you don't want is a few bully follicles hogging all your meds and growing to maturity when the bulk of your cohort are underdeveloped and stunted. Lupron also suppresses your ovaries, but has lots of different uses in protocols at different phases and doses, so it does comes up a lot. Hope that makes sense.

BzeetyD · October 2012

As everyone has said, BCP is to help make sleepy quiet ovaries. It also can help in the reduction of cysts after ovulation.

There are many different protocols for IVF. Yours without Lupron, is not uncommon. Lupron is not a part of my protocol either.

As you hang around here and read up on people's progress/situations/protocols you'll catch on to how it works with different meds/protocols.

CousinVicki · October 2012

Besides the 'quieting' the ovaries part, my dr also uses it to cycle everyone doing IVF at the same time, so we are all stimming same week, retrieval pretty much the same week etc..... he is the only Dr in the office, so this is the best way for him

mandac033 · October 2012

I was on BCP for 2 1/2 weeks and like some of the other girls I was told it was to "quiet my ovaries" so they would be completely suppressed.

Lacyj67 · October 2012

CousinVicki:
Besides the 'quieting' the ovaries part, my dr also uses it to cycle everyone doing IVF at the same time, so we are all stimming same week, retrieval pretty much the same week etc..... he is the only Dr in the office, so this is the best way for himnbsp;nbsp;

Ditto this. My dr is the only dr in the central coast of California so him and all his patients have to go down south to redondo beach for the IVF labs.

chucktgirl · October 2012

Thanks to all for responding! Thanks to Destiny for making it simple. And thanks to Edwina for filling in the details. This is why I love this board!!

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