IVF shots are not as difficult or painful as you might think. For many of our surrogates, the first shot is the hardest. Then, it becomes routine and not so scary.
Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, most shots are intramuscular and are required about a week before your IVF transfer and throughout your first trimester.
What are intramuscular injections?
Intramuscular injections: An intramuscular injection delivers medication directly into a muscle. Progesterone in oil is often given as an intramuscular injection. The most common injection site for these medications is the top outer quadrant of the buttocks. It is possible to administer these shots yourself, but some people have their partner help.
Here are a few administering pointers:
Stay calm. Being nervous and tense can make this quick shot more uncomfortable. Shaky hands or a rushed approach cause the needle to bounce out before all the medication is injected. Take a deep breath! Meditate for a moment and RELAX!
Consider heat: For intramuscular injections, applying a heating pad to the injection site for about 10 minutes can sometimes relax the muscle and make the injection easier.
Know you don’t have to be a pro. Administering an injection does not require a professional medical degree – but practice makes perfect!
Try ice: Many Shared Conception surrogates believe in icing the area right before injection to help numb the skin.
Change positions: For intramuscular injections, your body position can affect how the needle feels as it goes in. Bending over or shifting your weight on the opposite leg from the injection site can be more comfortable.
Be quick and direct: One confident motion for injection is much more comfortable than slow or twisting motions.
Injections are unavoidable as a surrogate. The first is always the hardest and the last is the most rewarding.
Begin your surrogacy journey with Shared Conception. Call us at either our Houston 713-622-1144 or Dallas 214-390-4024 office for more information. Or, visit www.deliveradream.com to get started on an application to become a surrogate.
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