hMG (Menotropins)
Aliases: Menopur · Human menopausal gonadotropin
Last verified: 2026-09-23
The short version
An extract of menopausal urine — a 1:1 FSH/LH mixture for ovulation induction and spermatogenesis.
Identity & type
- Molecular type
- peptide
- Origin
- An extract of menopausal urine — a 1:1 FSH/LH mixture for ovulation induction and spermatogenesis.
Mechanism of action
FSH + LH activity on gonads.
Dosing & routes
Official / clinical context
Approved drug — indications, dosing and warnings are defined by the official label. 75–450 IU/day IM/SC per protocol.
Regulator-approved labeling and published study designs — never a recommendation.
Community-reported practice
75–450 IU/day IM/SC per protocol. Menopur: in IVF stimulation promotes follicle development; in men (with hCG) restores spermatogenesis after suppression.
Unverified self-reports. Not medical advice. Not endorsement.
Expected effects (community)
Menopur: in IVF stimulation promotes follicle development; in men (with hCG) restores spermatogenesis after suppression.
Protocol — official vs community
Official / label
Menopur (ovulation induction / controlled ovarian stimulation): 75–150 IU SC or IM daily starting cycle day 2–3; adjust by ultrasound and estradiol in 75 IU steps (max 450 IU/day, ≤20 days of stimulation), then hCG trigger. Male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: 75–150 IU 2–3×/week combined with hCG.
- 01Start 75–150 IU/day
- 02After ~5 days, adjust in 75 IU steps by follicular response
- 03Cap 450 IU/day; trigger with hCG when leading follicles meet criteria
Duration: ≈8–14 days per stimulation cycle in women; months in male spermatogenesis regimens.
OHSS and multiple pregnancy are the defining risks — ultrasound and estradiol monitoring is not optional adjunct care, it is the dosing mechanism. WADA-prohibited in men.
Community (anecdotal)
The established community niche is fertility recovery after anabolic-androgenic steroid suppression: hCG restart (e.g. 1,500–3,000 IU 2–3×/week), then hMG 75 IU SC 2–3×/week for months until spermatogenesis returns.
- Cycle:
- Months-long courses (typically 3–9 months), guided by semen analysis rather than a fixed calendar.
- Break:
- Until two normal semen analyses, then taper off under monitoring.
This mirrors what reproductive endocrinologists do for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism — the community version differs mainly in the absence of monitoring and in what caused the suppression.
Human evidence
Decades-long reproductive standard.
Preclinical evidence
The preclinical phase was completed and submitted to regulators as part of registration; pharmacology and toxicology details are part of the official label.
Known risks
- OHSS in women, multiple pregnancy.characterized
Teal: characterized in clinical/labeling contexts. Amber: theoretical or reported outside controlled settings.
Unknowns & evidence gaps
- Real-world data outside controlled trials