How Many Follicles for IVF

At Bay IVF, we prioritize gentle and individualized ovarian stimulation protocols to achieve the highest egg quality rather than focusing solely on quantity

The number of follicles required for IVF treatment and the quality of eggs a patient develops primarily depend on her fertility potential. Without ovarian stimulation, a woman with regular monthly menstrual periods releases only one egg during each ovulatory cycle.

Using such unstimulated cycles would make the IVF process highly inefficient. However, it is possible to gently stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg by using ovarian hormonal stimulation.

It’s important to note that the hormones used for this stimulation are identical to the ones naturally produced by our bodies, and no “strange” drugs are used for this purpose.

The development of follicles and eggs for IVF treatment depends on three main factors:

  • The current fertility potential of the patient, which includes the quality of the eggs she was born with and what has happened to her eggs since her birth.
  • The quality of the menstrual cycle in which the IVF treatment starts. Even among very fertile women, there can be significant variation in the quality of eggs produced from one menstrual cycle to another.
  • The ovarian stimulation process itself. The type of ovarian stimulation, medication selection, and dosing are always individualized, but out of the three factors, this is the least important for determining the number and quality of eggs produced.

Ideally, IVF ovarian stimulation should lead to the development of 8 to 15 follicles and eggs. Having too few or too many follicles may result in suboptimal quality of the retrieved eggs.

At Bay IVF, we prioritize gentle and individualized ovarian stimulation protocols to achieve the highest egg quality rather than focusing solely on quantity. This approach reduces the number of clinic visits and the likelihood of ovarian hyperstimulation without compromising the chances of a successful outcome.

There are several forms of ovarian stimulation protocols, each with various modifications. Your treatment will always be personalized to maximize the probability of a successful outcome based on your reproductive history and pre-treatment evaluation.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or a combination of FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH) are used to stimulate the production of multiple eggs in the ovaries. These hormones are administered subcutaneously once a day or every other day using tiny needles, typically for around ten days. During this time, your progress is monitored through estradiol (estrogen, E2) and progesterone blood levels, as well as ultrasound examinations.

Ovarian stimulation should lead to the development of several eggs in each ovary, as shown in the ultrasound image above. Each of the several follicles (dark circles) contains a microscopic egg.

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Initial Appointment Questions

When you call to schedule your consultation, one of our Front Office Coordinators will ask you a short series of questions regarding your reproductive history.

  • Your name
  • Your date of birth
  • Your height
  • Your weight
  • Do you know which treatment you plan to have?
  • How many times have you been pregnant?
  • For each of your pregnancies, what was the conception date? (month and year)
  • What was the outcome?
  • Were the pregnancies with your current partner?
  • If known, what is the cause of your infertility?
  • What is your average cycle length? (number of days between onsets of your periods)
  • Are you currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Are you allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Your partner’s name (if applicable)
  • Your partner’s date of birth (if applicable)
  • What is the length of your relationship with your current partner? (years and months)
  • When was the last time either of you used any contraception?
  • Is the male partner currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Is the male partner allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • What is the total number of pregnancies the male partner has ever caused?
  • Has the male partner ever caused a pregnancy without the ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) procedure?
  • Has the male partner had a vasectomy or vasectomy reversal?
  • If available, for each Semen Analysis, please give the date (day, month, and year), volume, concentration (sperm count), percentage of motile sperm, and percentage of morphologically normal sperm.
  • Have you ever had any treatment for, or problems with, your lungs, heart, blood and blood vessels, breasts, digestive system, genito-urinary system, thyroid disease, diabetes, or neurological disorder? (female partner only)
  • For each X-ray of your uterus and Fallopian tubes (hysterosalpingogram), laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or laparotomy, please give the procedure date (day, month, and year) and the findings.
  • If available, for each FSH, LH, estradiol (estrogen, E2), and AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test you have had, please give the date of the test (day, month, and year) and the result.
  • Have you done any intrauterine inseminations (IUI)? If yes, how many?
  • Have you had ovarian stimulation with injectable medications?
  • For each IVF treatment you have had, please provide the following information if available: Date (month and year), the dose of medications to stimulate your ovaries, your highest estrogen level, number of ovarian follicles that developed, number of eggs retrieved, whether ICSI was done, number of embryos available, number of embryos transferred, number of embryos frozen, and the treatment outcome.
  • Have you ever smoked cigarettes? If yes, how many cigarettes a day during the last three months? (Please remember that you must not smoke during your treatment.)
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Or Download a PDF

This is Erica

She will be providing you with exceptional support throughout your treatment journey at Bay IVF.

Listen to a typical conversation between Erica and a new patient.
  • Your name
  • Your date of birth
  • Your height
  • Your weight
  • Do you know which treatment you plan to have?
  • How many times have you been pregnant?
  • For each of your pregnancies, what was the conception date? (month and year)
  • What was the outcome?
  • Were the pregnancies with your current partner?
  • If known, what is the cause of your infertility?
  • What is your average cycle length? (number of days between onsets of your periods)
  • Are you currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Are you allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Your partner’s name (if applicable)
  • Your partner’s date of birth (if applicable)
  • What is the length of your relationship with your current partner? (years and months)
  • When was the last time either of you used any contraception?
  • Is the male partner currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • Is the male partner allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
  • What is the total number of pregnancies the male partner has ever caused?
  • Has the male partner ever caused a pregnancy without the ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) procedure?
  • Has the male partner had a vasectomy or vasectomy reversal?
  • If available, for each Semen Analysis, please give the date (day, month, and year), volume, concentration (sperm count), percentage of motile sperm, and percentage of morphologically normal sperm.
  • Have you ever had any treatment for, or problems with, your lungs, heart, blood and blood vessels, breasts, digestive system, genito-urinary system, thyroid disease, diabetes, or neurological disorder? (female partner only)
  • For each X-ray of your uterus and Fallopian tubes (hysterosalpingogram), laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or laparotomy, please give the procedure date (day, month, and year) and the findings.
  • If available, for each FSH, LH, estradiol (estrogen, E2), and AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test you have had, please give the date of the test (day, month, and year) and the result.
  • Have you done any intrauterine inseminations (IUI)? If yes, how many?
  • Have you had ovarian stimulation with injectable medications?
  • For each IVF treatment you have had, please provide the following information if available: Date (month and year), the dose of medications to stimulate your ovaries, your highest estrogen level, number of ovarian follicles that developed, number of eggs retrieved, whether ICSI was done, number of embryos available, number of embryos transferred, number of embryos frozen, and the treatment outcome.
  • Have you ever smoked cigarettes? If yes, how many cigarettes a day during the last three months? (Please remember that you must not smoke during your treatment.)
See All
Or Download a PDF

This is Nisha

Your invaluable resource for effortlessly managing your appointments at Bay IVF.

Listen to a typical conversation between Nisha and a new patient.