Generic Name: Urofollitropin Purified
Indications: Fertinex is prescribed to infertile women who have not become pregnant with other interventions. The medication promotes egg production in the ovaries.
FDA Drug Category: X
Summary Recommendations: Fertinex is an injected medication and as such, will likely be administered in your doctor’s office. While using Fertinex you may be required to undergo various laboratory tests, including estradiol measurement and ultrasound, to ensure progress and keep track of possible side effects. It is important to maintain the treatment schedule setup with your doctor for optimal results.
General Precautions: Before starting Fertinex injections your doctor will likely ask a serious of detailed questions about your gynecological history, current health and medication use. If you have a history of food allergies, medication allergies or general allergies, tell your doctor before starting treatment. Before attending your doctor’s appointment write down all medications, including over-the-counter and alternative medications, you are currently taking. Some medications may interact with Fertinex. Patients with thyroid disease or adrenal gland issues must report these conditions to the doctor.
Certain patients should avoid using Fertinex, including patients with hormone-sensitive tumors, unexplained irregular or heavy bleeding during menstruation, brain lesions or ovarian enlargement, failure or cysts with no known cause.
Common side effects when using Fertinex include tenderness of the breasts, nausea, hot flashes, stomach pain and bleeding from the vagina – other than normal menstrual cycle. Serious side effects have been reported in patients using Fertinex. These include severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, weight gain, vomiting and severe allergic reaction.
Effects While Trying to Conceive: Fertinex is prescribed to promote egg production and thus may increase fertility. There are no reports of impaired fertility associated with Fertinex. When using Fertinex the likelihood of conceiving multiples increases. Talk to your doctor about pregnancy with multiples prior to starting treatment.
Effects on Pregnancy: The Food and Drug Administration classify Fertinex in pregnancy category X. The drug may cause harm to the fetus if used during pregnancy. You may be required to take a pregnancy test prior to starting treatment. No animal or human studies have been completed.
Safe During Breastfeeding: Fertinex is excreted in breast milk and may cause negative side effects in the infant. If you are contemplating using Fertinex and you are currently breastfeeding you will need to decide between putting off use of the drug until after weaning baby from the breast or weaning immediately.