The Fertility Center of Las Vegas

Injection Instructions for Injectable Medications

Throughout your IVF cycle you will be responsible for administering injectable medications. Prior to initiating your cycle please review the written and video instructions for each medication type. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your IVF Case Manager.

1. Wash hands.

2. Pop off tops of liquid and powder vials, to reveal rubber top. Clean rubber
tops with alcohol.

3. Open mixing needle (long needle) and plastic syringe, and twist the needle on the syringe to tighten.

4. Draw out the appropriate amount of liquid (1cc/ml, for 1-2 powders,
or 1-2 cc/ml, for 3 or more powders). Place any unused liquid aside as you will not need it.

5. Inject the liquid that you have just drawn out, into the powder. Gently roll the
vial to dissolve the medication, then draw out ALL of the liquid in the vial using the long mixing needle. If you have more than one vial of powder to dilute, repeat the process with the same mixture that you
started with. Combine all powders, for one injection. You should have the same amount
of liquid to inject, as you started with. NOTE: For Intramuscular injections, you can also add the medication from your Follistim/Gonal-F pen into this mixture for one application.

6. Twist off the long needle used for mixing, and replace with the appropriate injection needle (short needle 27g x 1/2″ for subcutaneous, 25g x 1.5″ for intramuscular).

7. Remove all of the air from the syringe, by facing the needle upwards, tapping the side of the plastic syringe to release any air bubbles and slowly pushing in on the plunger until all air is removed.

8. Locate the injection site (abdomen for subcutaneous injections, upper buttocks for intramuscular injections) and clean with alcohol.

9. For subcutaneous injections – pinch the skin surrounding the injection site. For intramuscular injections – spread the skin surrounding the injection site with your non-injecting hand.

10. Hold the syringe as you would a dart, and inject into the skin in one quick motion (The entire needle should go straight in). INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION ONLY: Before injecting, pull back slightly on the plunger of the syringe, to check for blood. If there is blood present in the tip of the syringe, remove the syringe and replace needle.
Find a new injection site.

11. Inject medication slowly. Wait 3 seconds, then pull syringe straight out.

12. Put a gauze square on the injection site and apply small amount of pressure, for approximately
30 seconds, to stop any bleeding that may occur (no band-aids).

13. Congratulations, you did it! Remember to switch sides daily.

Diagram for Intramuscular Injections

Diagram for Subcutaneous Injections

If you have any questions regarding this information, please call our office at 702-254-1777 or 800-509-7174.

Download our free Ebook

  • Complete this form to download our free International Patient Guidebook and to be contacted by our office:

    By submitting this form, you are confirming you have read and agree to our Terms and Privacy Statement and agree to be contacted by our office.