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HMG

Also called Human Menopausal Gonadotropin / Menotropin

When one fertility signal is not enough, this shot delivers both at once to make sperm or grow an egg.

Updated 03 May 2026Read 4 minBacked by 60 studies

The quick version

What it is: A shot giving both LH and FSH signals
Is it FDA-approved?: Yes, for fertility and IVF
How strong is the proof?: Very strong: about 60 years of use
How you take it: A shot, several times a week
Typical result: Boosts sperm success to ~80–90% when added to hCG
Biggest catch: Pricey, needs a fertility clinic, and 'RUO hMG' is almost always fake

Any word with a dotted underline is a science word — tap it for a plain-English meaning.

In plain words.

HMG stands for human menopausal gonadotropin. It is also called menotropin. Brand names are Menopur and Repronex.

Your body uses two signals for fertility: LH and FSH. hCG copies only LH. hMG gives you both LH and FSH at the same time. The FSH part is the piece that drives sperm production and egg growth.

The original drug is purified from the urine of women past menopause. That sounds odd, but their urine is naturally rich in these hormones. It is made at industrial scale. There is now also a lab-made version.

It is and has been used for about 60 years.

What people use it for.

People use hMG for fertility when the FSH signal is needed.

Men trying to have kids. Some men on TRT find that hCG alone does not restore sperm. Adding hMG gives the missing FSH signal.
IVF. It helps the ovaries grow eggs during an IVF .
Low hormone-signal infertility. For men whose brains do not send enough fertility signal, hMG plus hCG can start sperm production.

It is not a libido or "boost" . It is a fertility drug.

Does it actually work?

Yes, and the proof is strong.

Here is the key comparison. In men with low hormone signals, hCG alone gets sperm going in about 40–60% of cases over 6 to 24 months (Liu 2009). When hCG alone does not work and you add the FSH side (hMG), success jumps to about 80–90% (Warne 2009).

The smart rule from the studies: add hMG only if there is still zero sperm after about 6 months on hCG alone. Not on day one (hCG often works alone, and hMG is pricey), and not "just wait longer." That 6-month checkpoint is the decision point.

what you’ve probably heard.

The claims floating around online, and how true they actually are.

“hMG works better than hCG for fertility.”

half true

It is not better, it is an add-on. hCG alone restarts sperm in about 40 to 60% of low-signal men. You only add hMG when there is still zero sperm after about 6 months on hCG.

“hMG and hCG are basically the same shot.”

Not the same. hCG only copies the LH signal, while hMG adds FSH, the piece that actually drives sperm and egg growth. That extra FSH is why adding it can push success up to roughly 80 to 90%.

“Start hMG day one alongside hCG for the best shot.”

not quite

The studies say wait. hCG often works on its own, and hMG is pricey, so the smart move is to add it only after about 6 months with zero sperm. That checkpoint is the whole game.

“You can buy research-grade hMG cheap online.”

myth

Real hMG is purified from urine at industrial scale, so a research-chemical vendor physically cannot make it. Vials sold as ' hMG' are almost always pure FSH or LH mislabeled.

How you take it.

You take it as a shot, several times a week. It can go under the skin or into the muscle.

A common vial is 75 . Men using it for fertility might use a few vials a week, often paired with hCG. IVF uses a clinic-set protocol that runs higher.

It comes as a powder you mix before use. Once mixed, it goes bad fast, within about 7 to 10 days even in the fridge. A fertility clinic guides the exact schedule.

What to watch out for.

The common stuff

Most people tolerate it. The main issue is that it is several shots a week, which takes commitment.

The serious stuff

Do not use it if you have a hormone-sensitive cancer or an unexplained mass.
In IVF, it can rarely cause OHSS. That is when the ovaries get overworked and swollen. It needs a doctor right away.

This is a supervised fertility drug, not something to "try" on your own. The clinic that made the diagnosis is the one who should be dosing it.

Where people get it.

Here are the lanes, safest to riskiest.

Brand (Menopur, Repronex). Real pharmacy product with a prescription. About $80–$150 per 75 vial. A month of male fertility use runs around $300–$900; a full IVF is $1,500 or more. Safest.
. Rare, because the FSH-plus-LH mix is hard to make. About $250–$400 a month when you can find it.
Research-only (): the big warning. Walk away. Real hMG is purified from urine at industrial scale. A research-chemical vendor cannot make it. " hMG" is almost never the real product. It is often pure FSH or pure LH mislabeled.
Gray-market: there is no real for hMG either.

Our honest take.

This one has a real job, and it is a narrow one: getting the FSH signal into a man whose hCG alone never restarted sperm, or growing eggs in an IVF .

Let a reproductive doctor prescribe, supply, and monitor it. For a man, the cleanest path is usually to try hCG first and add hMG only if there is still zero sperm after about 6 months. That checkpoint is the whole game.

Where it goes wrong is the buy. " hMG" is almost always a lie: the real drug is purified from urine at industrial scale, so a research-chemical vendor physically cannot make it. What ends up in that vial is usually pure FSH or pure LH wearing the wrong label. If hMG is right for you, the clinic is the only honest door.

The studies behind this.

We read the research so you don't have to. Here's where the facts on this page come from.

Learn about these too.

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We're not your doctor, and this isn't medical advice. It's a plain-English summary of what the research says, so you can have a smarter conversation with someone who is.

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