Clomid: Common Oral Medication for Ovarian Stimulation

Ovarian stimulation is a part of many fertility treatments. One of the most common oral medications that Ovation partner physicians use for ovarian stimulation is clomiphene citrate, also known as Clomid or Serophene.

Clomid Treatment for Women Who Ovulate Irregularly

When a woman doesn’t ovulate regularly or at all, she suffers from ovulatory dysfunction. Ovulatory dysfunction is one of the most common causes of infertility, and it can be treated with medications such as Clomid.

Clomid is found in a category of medications called SERMs, or selective estrogen receptor modulators. Medications in this category bind to receptors in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus to increase production of the hormones responsible for the development of the follicles in the ovaries.

Treatment with Clomid Involves Oral Medication and Ultrasounds

Before starting Clomid, the physician will schedule a baseline ultrasound to rule out the presence of cysts. The ultrasound will take place at the beginning of the woman’s menstrual cycle, usually one to five days into the cycle. If she has no cysts, then she can start taking Clomid, typically for a total of five days.

About five to seven days after she has finished the last pill, the fertility doctor will perform another ultrasound to evaluate the patient’s response to the medication.

• During the second ultrasound, the physician will measure the number and size of the follicles, as well as the thickness of the uterine lining.
• If a large follicle is found during the ultrasound, the physician will recommend that she either starts using an ovulation predictor kit or inform her when to take a trigger shot to cause ovulation to occur.
• If no large follicle is found, the fertility doctor will talk with the patient about the possibility of increasing the dose of medication.

Clomid Successful for Ovarian Stimulation

About 75% of women with ovulatory dysfunction will ovulate after taking Clomid.

Some patients do experience side effects from taking Clomid. These side effects include hot flashes, bloating, abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting, headache and uterine bleeding.

A chance also exists that the use of these medications can result in twins or more. However, most women will only get pregnant with one baby at a time.

Clomid can encourage ovarian stimulation in patients who suffer from ovulatory dysfunction. If you have any questions about Clomid or similar oral medications, please contact us.