Clomid
Although it is also sold under the brand name Serophene, clomiphene, a type of fertility medication, is most commonly referred to by its other brand name, Clomid. Used in women with ovulation problems, Clomid is a very common, inexpensive and popular type of fertility treatment.
How it Works
Used to help regulate or induce ovulation, clomiphene assists in increasing the production of egg maturation in the ovaries. Clompihene is taken orally via a pill on days 3 to 7 or 5 to 9 of your menstrual cycle. In order to regulate your ovulation, Clomid sends a message to your pituitary gland, telling it that it needs to start or needs to secrete more FSH and LH. This increased level of hormones then signals to your ovaries that it is time to start maturing some eggs. Because of the higher level of FSH and LH in your system, your egg production and ovulation is improved thus facilitating ovulation.
In addition to helping women with ovulation problems, Clomid may also be used for women who are found to have a luteal phase defect. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are also likely to have Clomid prescribed. Men who have hormonal imbalances may be prescribed clomiphene in some situations. However, the use of this treatment has not been proven and the FDA has yet to approve the use of Clomid for men.
Since Clomid helps to increase the number of eggs that are produced by the follicles, this fertility medication is also often used in women who are undergoing assisted reproductive techniques and require multiple eggs to be retrieved. This is called superovulation and increases the chances of multiple births.
Getting Monitored
To ensure that Clomid is working as it should, and that ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome does not occur, you will require close monitoring by your fertility specialist. This will also help to determine just how well your body is responding to the clomiphene and whether or not it is necessary to increase your dosage.
Generally, most women start out on 50mg tablets. This is the minimum dosage that can be prescribed. If your body does not seem to respond to this during the first cycle, the dosage will be increased to 100mg. If your body still does not respond, your Clomid can be increased up to a maximum of 200mg, although this is not normally recommended. In some cases, it may be necessary to supplement the Clomid with another type of hormonal medication in order to stimulate ovulation.
While Clomid can be prescribed for as much as six cycles, many experts agree that, if a pregnancy hasn’t occurred within the first three cycles, it is unlikely to occur at all with this type of treatment. About 80% of women will respond and ovulate within the first three cycles, though.
Side Effects of Clomid
In general, the side effects of Clomid tend to be fairly mild. However, about a third of all Clomid users will develop hostile cervical mucus. This is cervical mucus that is not conducive to conception and in fact tends to kill off sperm thereby making conception next to impossible. While there are a number of severe side effects, these tend to be mainly associated with higher doses of the drug. Common Clomid side effects include:
- mood swings
- nausea and vomiting
- breast tenderness
- abdominal pain
- insomnia
- headaches
- blurred vision
- fatigue
- depression
- weight gain
- ovarian cysts
In the past, there was also thought to be a link between ovarian cancer and Clomid use. However, this link has been disputed and most current studies have not been able to find a link between the use of fertility drugs and ovarian cancer.
Clomid and Twins
Clomid is also associated with a 10% increase in the chance of having twins. There is also the possibility of conceiving triplets, or more, however, the chances of multiple births while using Clomid is generally thought to be extremely low.
Unprescribed Clomid
Thanks to the internet, it is now easier than ever for women to get their hands on Clomid. As a result, a number of women who are not experiencing fertility problems have begun using Clomid as an inexpensive way to increase their chances of conceiving twins. Although Clomid can increase the chances of conceiving multiples compared to the general population, many agree that this increase is not significant. Moreover, the use of unprescribed Clomid is both dangerous and possibly detrimental to your chances of conceiving.
Since the drug is not prescribed, health care providers cannot properly monitor their patients that are using it. Without close monitoring, it is difficult to know whether or not the Clomid is even affecting your body. Additionally, it can cause the signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) to go unnoticed. OHSS is a serious complication in any woman who uses fertility drugs and severe cases require immediate medical attention.
Even if OHSS does not occur, women who use Clomid but do not have any ovulation problems may actually be making their body less effective at getting pregnant. Using Clomid unnecessarily can create new problems, such as making your cervical mucus hostile to your partner’s sperm, thereby lowering your chances of successfully conceiving.
Clomid Success Rates
Ovualtion rates with Clomid are generally very good. Between 70% and 90% of women using Clomid will ovulate within the first three cycles. Although the pregnancy success rates of Clomid will vary according to a variety of factors, on average, about 40% of women will be able to successfully conceive within the first three months of using Clomid. The live birth rate for women using Clomid is estimated to be between 30% and 60%.
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