Many people undergoing infertility treatment do not understand what is Clomid used for and how it works. Not many know when you ovulate on it.
Clomid or clomiphene citrate, is a synthetic drug that is used to stimulate ovulation in women. It helps increase the chances of women getting pregnant although it is not a fertility treatment per se. Over the years, success rates of Clomid have risen, making it an effective choice in drug therapy for infertility.
Although Clomid success rates in pregnancy vary, with regards to ovulation, it is almost a guarantee. This is because Clomid interacts with the hormones responsible for the reproductive processes.
Through the hormones, it can influence the uterus, the vagina, the ovaries, the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland – anything and everything that has estrogen receptors. Clomid then binds to these receptors, thereby the lessening the amount of estrogen circulating in the body. This leads the body to think that estrogen levels are low and then prompts the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone, which is responsible for ovulation to occur.
Clomid Success Rates
The efficacy of Clomid with regards to inducing ovulation is at 80%. This is true regarding the Clomid success stories for women who are at their first cycle of Clomid therapy. For women with no fertility issues, the chances of getting pregnant in any given menstrual cycle is only up to 25%. With this in mind, it is reassuring to know that women who ovulate on their first cycle of therapy have a 30% chance of getting pregnant.
Around 40-45% of women are able to conceive within six months after their initial therapy. It is interesting to note that since Clomid induces ovulation in women, the amount of eggs released during ovulation may not be limited to just one. The incidence of having twins may occur at 5% in women, while triplets occur less frequently.
Clomid therapy has shown to have decreased efficacy with age-related infertility, low estrogen levels, or those with premature ovarian failure. For those with thyroid disorder-related infertility, it helps for these women to lose weight first.
How Is Clomid Therapy Administered
Initially, 50mg/day orally for 5 days is started at any time given no uterine bleeding has occurred recently. This is followed by 100mg/day for 5 days, started as early as 30 days after the initial course of therapy. This second course may be repeated one more time. A total of three courses is administered and if no results are obtained, therapy will be discontinued.
Things You Should Consider About Clomid Therapy
Before taking Clomid therapy, the woman is usually subjected to a number of tests. This is done to assess for conditions which are said to be “resistant” to Clomid therapy. These conditions include polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, and insulin resistance. Another condition is hyperprolactinemia and women with BMI of over 25.
Furthermore, the patency of fallopian tubes must be assessed to ensure that no blockage is present, otherwise, even if ovulation occurs, the sperm will not be able to fertilize the egg. These problems should not be overlooked, and therefore, a thorough assessment should be done.
There are also instances when the ovaries fail to respond to the surge in luteinizing hormone that signals ovulation even if Clomid therapy has been initiated. In this case, an injection of hCG such as Ovidrel may be administered in order to boost that LH surge and stimulate ovulation. If ovulation still doesn’t work with this, there are several new drugs being introduced that may help. These work in a similar way as that of Clomid because they also induce ovulation. This medication is called Letrozole and is used by women with unexplained fertility issues or Clomid resistance.
One surprising supporting therapy for Clomid resistance is taking birth control pills. These pills have been reported to have 65% efficacy rate in women undergoing Clomid therapy.
Clomid Therapy: What it is and what it’s not
It is very important for the couple to understand that Clomid therapy is not a means of treating infertility. Rather, it works to induce ovulation, which is needed to initiate a pregnancy. What happens after ovulation cannot be dictated. Several factors may influence and alter the consequences. Both men and women should be able to understand as in order to prevent misconceptions and failed expectations. Keep in mind that different women have different effects on this type of therapy. This will help you gauge your options whether or not you and your partner are ready to take this step