Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone that acts on the same receptor as luteinizing hormone (LH). Novarel and Pregnyl are powder vials that are mixed before use; Ovidrel is a pre-filled syringe.
Also known as: Novarel, Pregnyl, Ovidrel, chorionic gonadotropin.
Novarel comes in 5,000 and 10,000 unit vials. Labels say "USP units", which are the same as the international units (IU) most people use.
Here is the math for a 5,000 IU vial mixed with 5 mL of bacteriostatic water, drawing 500 IU with a U-100 insulin syringe (1 mL = 100 units).
5,000 IU ÷ 5 mL = 1,000 IU/mL500 IU ÷ 1,000 IU/mL = 0.5 mL0.5 mL × 100 = 50 units| Amount | Volume | U-100 syringe |
|---|---|---|
| 250 IU | 0.25 mL | 25 units |
| 500 IU | 0.5 mL | 50 units |
| 1,000 IU | 1 mL | 100 units |
Adding more water doesn't change how much hCG is in the vial. It only spreads it over more liquid, so each draw is bigger and easier to read.
| Water added | Concentration | Volume | U-100 syringe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 5,000 IU/mL | 0.1 mL | 10 units |
| 2 mL | 2,500 IU/mL | 0.2 mL | 20 units |
| 3 mL | 1,666.7 IU/mL | 0.3 mL | 30 units |
| 5 mL | 1,000 IU/mL | 0.5 mL | 50 units |
For any other vial size or amount, the free peptide reconstitution calculator works backwards from the amount you want and suggests a water volume that lands on a clean syringe mark.
The FDA Ovidrel label reports a terminal half-life of about 29 hours after an injection under the skin, with levels peaking about 12 to 24 hours after the shot. Ovidrel is recombinant hCG studied mostly in women; Novarel and Pregnyl are labeled for injection into muscle, so the Ovidrel figures are the closest label data for an injection under the skin.
Numbers shown are the values Dose Track uses, listed only where they agree with the source above. Half-life varies from person to person and with injection site.