Updated: January 25, 2026

What Is Follitropin Alfa (Gonal-F)? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

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Peter Daggett

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What Is Follitropin Alfa?
What Is Follitropin Alfa (Gonal-F) Used For?
What Forms Does Gonal-F Come In?
How Is Follitropin Alfa Dosed?
Who Should NOT Take Follitropin Alfa?
Is Follitropin Alfa a Controlled Substance?

Follitropin alfa (Gonal-F) is a recombinant FSH used in fertility treatment. Here's a complete guide to what it is, how it's used, dosage, and who it's for in 2026.

Follitropin alfa — sold under the brand name Gonal-F by EMD Serono — is one of the most widely used fertility medications in the world. If you've been prescribed it, or if someone close to you has, you likely have a lot of questions. This guide covers everything you need to know about what follitropin alfa is, what it treats, how it's given, and what to expect.

What Is Follitropin Alfa?

Follitropin alfa is a recombinant (laboratory-produced) form of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is a hormone naturally produced by the pituitary gland that plays a critical role in the reproductive system — in women, it stimulates the growth and maturation of egg follicles in the ovaries; in men, it supports sperm production.

"Recombinant" means it is produced using genetic engineering — specifically, genetically modified Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells that have been given the human FSH gene. The result is a highly pure, consistent, and potent form of FSH that is structurally identical to the FSH your body produces naturally. Gonal-F was first approved by the FDA in 1997 and remains a cornerstone of fertility treatment nearly three decades later.

What Is Follitropin Alfa (Gonal-F) Used For?

Follitropin alfa has three FDA-approved indications:

Ovulation Induction (Women): For women who have irregular or absent ovulation (oligo-anovulation) due to functional causes — not primary ovarian failure. Gonal-F provides the FSH signal that the pituitary is not producing adequately, stimulating the ovaries to develop and release one egg per cycle.

Multifollicular Development for ART (Women): In IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles, Gonal-F stimulates the development of multiple follicles simultaneously, allowing multiple eggs to be retrieved at one time. This is controlled ovarian stimulation — the goal is many eggs, not just one.

Spermatogenesis Induction (Men): In men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism — a condition where the pituitary doesn't produce enough FSH and LH — Gonal-F (given with hCG, which provides LH-like activity) can stimulate sperm production.

What Forms Does Gonal-F Come In?

Gonal-F is available in several formats, all administered by subcutaneous injection (under the skin):

Gonal-F RFF Redi-ject pens — pre-filled, disposable injection pens in 300 IU/0.5 mL, 450 IU/0.75 mL, and 900 IU/1.5 mL sizes. The most convenient format — no mixing required.

Gonal-F multi-dose vials — lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder that must be mixed (reconstituted) with Bacteriostatic Water before injection. Available in 450 IU (delivers 450 IU) and 1050 IU (delivers 1050 IU). A single 1050 IU vial can provide 14 doses of 75 IU.

Gonal-F RFF single-dose vials — 75 IU single-dose vials that are mixed with Sterile Water and used immediately (no storage after mixing).

How Is Follitropin Alfa Dosed?

Dosing is highly individualized and determined by your fertility specialist based on your age, diagnosis, hormone levels, antral follicle count, and response to stimulation. General starting doses per the FDA label are:

Ovulation induction: Starting dose of 75 IU subcutaneously (SC) daily; may be increased by up to 37.5 IU after 14 days; maximum 300 IU/day; treatment typically not to exceed 35 days

ART (IVF stimulation): 150 IU SC daily starting on cycle day 2 or 3; for women ≥35 with pituitary suppression, 225 IU/day; typical course is 8–10 days; maximum 450 IU/day

Male spermatogenesis: 150 IU SC three times per week with concurrent hCG; may increase to 300 IU three times weekly; treatment may continue up to 18 months

Who Should NOT Take Follitropin Alfa?

Follitropin alfa is contraindicated in:

Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant

Women with primary ovarian failure (high FSH indicating the ovaries are no longer responsive)

Anyone with uncontrolled thyroid, adrenal, or pituitary dysfunction

Anyone with sex hormone-dependent tumors

Women with unexplained abnormal uterine bleeding or ovarian cysts of undetermined origin

Is Follitropin Alfa a Controlled Substance?

No. Follitropin alfa is not a controlled substance and has no DEA scheduling. It requires a prescription but does not have the same restrictions on refills or prescribing that controlled substances carry.

For a deeper explanation of how Gonal-F works in the body, read our mechanism of action guide. If you're having trouble finding your Gonal-F prescription, medfinder can help you locate it at pharmacies near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gonal-F (follitropin alfa) has three FDA-approved uses: (1) ovulation induction in women with irregular or absent ovulation, (2) controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies, and (3) spermatogenesis induction in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. It is always used under medical supervision with monitoring.

Follitropin alfa is administered as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin) — typically in the abdomen, upper arm, or upper thigh. It comes as pre-filled Redi-ject pens (300 IU, 450 IU, 900 IU) or as lyophilized powder in multi-dose vials that must be mixed before injection. Your fertility clinic will provide injection training before you start.

Gonal-F (follitropin alfa) and Follistim AQ (follitropin beta) are different medications — both recombinant FSH, but with slightly different molecular structures. However, they work the same way and have been shown to have comparable clinical outcomes in fertility treatment. They are generally considered functionally interchangeable for most protocols, though dosing adjustments are needed when switching.

For IVF stimulation, a Gonal-F cycle typically lasts 8 to 14 days, depending on your follicular response. For ovulation induction, treatment is generally continued for up to 35 days or until an adequate response is seen. Your fertility specialist will monitor you with blood tests and ultrasounds throughout to determine when to trigger ovulation.

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