Menopur (Human Menopausal Gonadotrophin)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Menopur Used For?
Menopur is a fertility medication used to help women who are having difficulty becoming pregnant. It contains hormones that work naturally in your body to help your ovaries function properly.
Primary Uses
Menopur is used to treat infertility in women by stimulating the ovaries to grow and develop egg sacs (follicles). It’s prescribed for women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures like IVF/ET, GIFT, and ICSI to help them become pregnant. It’s also used for women who are not ovulating naturally and haven’t responded to clomiphene citrate treatment.
How It Works
Menopur contains highly purified human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women. It’s a mixture of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) that work together to stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs.
Good to know: Your doctor will closely monitor your progress throughout treatment to ensure the best possible outcome and minimize risks.
How to Take Menopur
Menopur must only be used under the supervision of a fertility specialist. You’ll need proper training on how to prepare and inject the medication before you can do it yourself.
Dosage Instructions
For women not ovulating: Initial dose is usually 75-150 IU daily, which may be increased up to 225 IU per day based on your response. Treatment continues for at least 7 days. For women undergoing ART: Initial dose is typically 150-225 IU, which may be increased up to 450 IU per day. Treatment usually doesn’t continue for more than 20 days. Menopur is injected under the skin of your abdomen using a different area each time.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you forget an injection or are unsure what to do, contact your doctor or nurse immediately for advice. Never inject a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Important: Your first injection must be supervised by a trained healthcare practitioner. Don’t self-inject until you’re completely sure how to do it properly.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Headache
- Injection site reactions (redness, itching, tenderness, pain, warmth, stinging, swelling)
- Breast swelling, pain or tenderness
- Hot flush
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) – abdominal pain/swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight gain, difficulty breathing, decreased urination
- Allergic reactions – rash, hives, swelling of face/lips/tongue, difficulty breathing
- Blood clots
- Ovarian torsion (twisting of ovaries)
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Menopur should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Menopur
Don’t use Menopur if you’re allergic to human menopausal gonadotrophin or gonadotrophins, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have cancer of the uterus/ovaries/breast, have pituitary or hypothalamus tumors, have enlarged ovaries or cysts (not from PCOS), have unexplained vaginal bleeding, have ovarian failure, have sexual organ malformations that prevent normal pregnancy, or have uterine fibroids or tumors that make normal pregnancy impossible.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have adrenal or thyroid problems, high prolactin levels, blood clots or clotting disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), fallopian tube disease, or kidney or liver disease.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not use Menopur if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. It may harm your developing baby. Contact your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while using Menopur. There may be increased risks of ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy loss, multiple pregnancies, and birth defects with fertility treatments.
Blood Clot Risk: Tell your doctor if you or family members have had blood clots. Risk is higher during pregnancy, especially if you’re overweight (BMI > 30) or have thrombophilia.
Drug Interactions
Some medications may interfere with how Menopur works, so it’s important to tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking.
- Clomiphene citrate – may increase ovarian effects when used together
Alcohol & Driving
Menopur should not normally affect your ability to drive or operate machinery, but you should be cautious until you know how it affects you.
Alcohol
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. It’s unknown how drinking alcohol will affect Menopur treatment.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Menopur affects you. The medication should not normally interfere with these activities.
Storage
Store Menopur in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C – do not freeze. Keep it in the original packaging until ready to use. After mixing the powder with solvent, the solution can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 28 days. Keep away from moisture, heat, and sunlight, and out of reach of children. Don’t store in bathrooms or cars.
Overdose Information
Too much Menopur can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can be serious and potentially fatal without proper hospital treatment. If you think you’ve used too much, immediately call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department, even if you feel fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
For women not ovulating, treatment continues for at least 7 days before your doctor may adjust the dose. For ART procedures, treatment typically lasts at least 5 days and usually no more than 20 days. Your doctor will monitor your response throughout treatment.
Yes, but only after proper training. Your first injection must be supervised by a trained healthcare practitioner, and you must be educated on how to prepare the solution and perform injections before doing it yourself.
Contact your doctor or nurse immediately for advice if you forget an injection. Never inject a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. It’s unknown how drinking alcohol will affect Menopur treatment, so discuss this with your healthcare provider.
Watch for abdominal pain or swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight gain, difficulty breathing, or decreased urination. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms, as OHSS can be serious.
Store in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C – don’t freeze. Keep in original packaging until use. After mixing, the solution can be refrigerated for up to 28 days.
Contact your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while using Menopur, as it may affect your developing baby. Your doctor will closely monitor your progress for at least 2 weeks after your hCG injection.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.