What is a GnRH agonist used for?

GnRH stands for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. An agonist first acts like this natural signal and, with continued use, reduces the signals that tell the ovaries to make reproductive hormones. The resulting hormone suppression can help a care team time treatment more precisely or temporarily quiet ovarian activity.

In fertility care, a GnRH agonist may be part of ovarian stimulation to help prevent the body from releasing an egg before the planned procedure. In gynaecology, related medicines may be used when lowering ovarian hormone activity is part of the treatment plan. The exact medicine, dose, route and timing depend on the reason for treatment.

Use the medicine exactly on the schedule provided, because timing can affect the rest of the treatment cycle. Tell the fertility or gynaecology team about other medicines, pregnancy possibility, migraines, bone conditions or previous reactions. Temporary symptoms such as hot flushes, headache, mood changes or vaginal dryness can occur as hormone levels change; record troublesome symptoms and discuss them at the next review.

Contact the treating team promptly for heavy bleeding, severe pelvic pain, marked abdominal swelling, breathing difficulty, fainting or a sudden severe headache. Seek urgent help for facial swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing after a dose, as these may signal a serious reaction.

Ask which GnRH agonist you are receiving, what part of treatment it controls, when to begin and stop it, and which symptoms should be reported. Ask whether you need a pregnancy test, monitoring scans or blood tests, and what to do if a dose is late.