Choriogonadotropin Alfa

Registered South African indications:

• Infertility

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or any of its excipients
• Elderly
• Tumours of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
• Ovarian enlargement or cyst due to reasons other than polycystic ovarian disease
• Gynaecological haemorrhages of unknown aetiology
• Ovarian, uterine or mammary carcinoma
• Extrauterine pregnancy in the previous 3 months
• Active thrombo-embolic disorders
• Primary ovarian failure
• Malformations of sexual organs incompatible with pregnancy
• Fibroid tumours of the uterus incompatible with pregnancy
• Postmenopausal women

Cautions

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Renal impairment
• Hepatic impairment
• Hypothyroidism
• Adrenocortical deficiency
• Hyperprolactinemia
• Pituitary or hypothalamic tumours
• Recent or ongoing thromboembolic disease or women with risk factors thereof

Forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: inj

Women undergoing superovulation prior to assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
- To trigger final follicular maturation and luteinisation after stimulation of follicular growth

• SC: 250μg, 24-48hrs after the last administration of a follicle stimulating hormone or human menopausal gonadotropin preparation

Anovulatory or oligo-ovulatory women
- To trigger ovulation and luteinisation in anovulatory or oligo-ovulatory patients after stimulation of follicular growth

• SC: 250μg, 24-48hrs after optimal stimulation of follicular
  growth is achieved

The patient is recommended to have coitus on the day of, and the day after, the injection

Not indicated for use in children

Pregnancy

• FDA Pregnancy Category Not Rated (NR)

Breastfeeding

• Caution; not recommended

Renal Impairment

• Caution; no information available

Hepatic Impairment

• Caution; no information available

Elderly

• Contraindicated

Central Nervous System Disorders

• Headache
• Depression
• Irritability
• Restlessness

Cardiovascular Disorders

• Thromboembolism

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea

Genitourinary Disorders

• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
• Breast pain

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders

• Rash

Immune, Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders

• Mild to severe hypersensitivity reactions 

No information available

None routine

Chorionic gonadotropin binds on the ovarian theca (and granulosa) cells to a transmembrane receptor shared with luteinising hormone, the luteinising hormone(LH)/chorionic gonadotropin (CG) receptor. The principal pharmacodynamic activity in women is oocyte meiosis resumption, follicular rupture (ovulation), corpus luteum formation and production of progesterone and estradiol by the corpus luteum. In women, chorionic gonadotropin acts as a surrogate LH-surge that triggers ovulation. It is used to trigger final follicular maturation and early luteinisation after use of medicinal products for stimulation of follicular growth.

Injection (per vial) 250μg

• Ovidrel (Merck) originator

Injection (per 0.5ml) 250μg

• Ovitrelle pre-filled syringe (Merck) originator