Store in a refrigerator, protect from light. Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Throw away any unused medicine after the beyond use date. Do not flush unused medications or pour down a sink or drain.
hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is very similar in structure to the pituitary hormone LH (luteinizing hormone). Many experts beleive that in order to optimally stimulate the ovaries for assisted reproduction technologies (ART), medications containing both FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH are necessary.
Since most of the FSH medications used in ART are produced through recombinant DNA technology, they contain no LH activity. Supplementation with LH is problematic since LH is broken down very quickly in the body and therefore has very little effect.
hCG, however, lasts much longer and therefore has greater biologic activity. Very low dose hCG is used as a replacement for LH to help supplement the stimulation during ART cycles.
There are three places that a subcutaneous injection may be given: the abdomen, the thigh, or the back of your arm as shown here
- Select your injection site (the abdomen is preferred)
- Cleanse the area with alcohol and let dry. Do not blow on it.
- Take a pinch of the fatty tissue you have cleansed. The injection is given here.
- Hold the syringe like a pencil or a dart approximately 1 inch away from the skin.
- Insert the needle quickly (not hard), with one fluid motion, into the skin.
- Let go of the pinch of skin. Depress the plunger and inject all of the medication. Pull the needle straight out.
- Apply pressure to the injection site with a sterile gauze pad.
- Never reuse needles or syringes.
- Dispose of the syringe in a biohazard container such as a Sharps container – or in a sealable, unbreakable plastic container such as a laundry detergent bottle.
Please be aware that some of these instructions may vary based on your particular situation or preference.
