What Are Subcutaneous Injections?
If you are visiting a fertility specialist, you’ll very likely become intimately familiar with subcutaneous (or sub-Q, for short) injections. These shots are administered in the fatty layer of tissue just beneath the skin. Blood vessels course their way through this tissue, which makes it easy for medications to reach their ultimate destinations and do their job. Almost all of the medications required for fertility assistance are taken subcutaneously. The good news is that the needle required is very small, so the shots feel like nothing more than a small pinprick.
Sub-Q shots are also easier to give to yourself, so you don’t have to drag your partner or con a friend into helping you out. Typically the shots are taken in the belly or upper thigh, where (truth be told) most of us have the greatest amount of easily accessed fatty tissue. A few fertility meds are administered as intramuscular injections — injected into the muscle — which require a bigger needle (and maybe a bit more courage).
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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