Drugs in reproductive medicine

Abstract 

Reproductive medicine encompasses much beyond the treatment of infertility. However, for the purpose of this article, we will focus primarily on the drugs in current use for the treatment of anovulatory infertility (where the aim of treatment is to achieve monofollicular development) and for in-vitro fertilisation (where multifollicular development in is the goal). Since the discovery and isolation of gonadotrophin (i.e. follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and human chorionic gonadotrophin) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, an extensive variety of pharmacotherapeutic preparations have been developed. An overview of the different medications used in current practice is provided in this article. In addition to describing their mechanism of action, their clinical application and associated outcomes are also reviewed.

Keywords: anti-oestrogens, gonadotrophins, IVF, ovarian stimulation, ovulation