Menotrophin is an infertility medication developed by the U.S. Food And Drug Administration and initially approved in the year 1975, for treating infertility.

Menotrophin helps to treat infertility in women who are not ovulating, including those with polycystic ovarian disease, and who have not responded to treatment with another medicine called clomiphene citrate. It is also used to help multiple follicles and, therefore, to promote fertility in women undergoing IVF (in-vitro fertilization)  or other types of assisted conception. It is also indicated to treat infertility in men due to low sperm count. 

Menotrophin will be given to you by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or clinic setting. It is given as an intramuscular injection (into your muscles) or under the skin. Do not self-administer the injection. Your doctor will decide the dose, route of administration and duration of the treatment based on your disease severity, body weight, and other factors. 

The side effects known to occur commonly during the treatment with Menotrophin are abdominal pain or swelling, headache , nausea, pelvic pain, overstimulation of ovaries, pain or inflammation at the injection site and mood swings.

Do not take menotrophin if you are allergic to menotrophin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine. Do not take this medicine if you have a tumor in the pituitary gland  (a gland located on the base of the brain which produces certain hormones, including growth hormones)  or in the hypothalamus (an area located under the part of the brain called the thalamus which controls the conditions within your body including body temperature and blood pressure) or in the uterus, ovaries, breast, testicles, or in the prostate gland. Before initiating the treatment, you will be checked for underactive thyroid problems, hormone levels, and tumors of the pituitary and hypothalamus.

Do not take this medicine if you have ovarian cysts that are not due to PCOD, vaginal bleeding, early menopause, physical problems in the reproductive organs if your womb has been removed, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Inform your physician immediately if you face any of these symptoms, such as abdominal pain and swelling, weight gain, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing, and decreased urination. Inform your physician if you have or have had liver problems and a history of blood clotting disease before starting the treatment. 

If you have missed any dosing appointments, inform your doctor and schedule immediately. This medicine can increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the womb) if you have a history of fallopian tube disease, miscarriage, multiple pregnancies (twins and triplets), and birth defects in the baby. Your doctor will regularly perform ultrasound scans and blood tests to monitor your response to the treatment. 

1. Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Electronic medicines compendium (EMC), [Revised on August 2019] [ Accessed on 22 July 2023], https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.1294.pdf
2. Ferring Pharmaceuticals, US Food and Drug Administration, [Revised on Feb 2014] [ Accessed on 22 July 2023], https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/021663s014lbl.pdf
3. Goodman & Gilman’s, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Introduction to endocrinology: The hypothalamic-pituitary axis, 12th edition, 2011, 1123.
4. KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, Anterior pituitary hormones, 7th edition, 2013, 241.

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice; it is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you are eligible to receive this treatment.