Clomid for Infertility - Induces Ovulation
Clomid is a popular fertility drug that is used to induce ovulation in women who have problems with their ovaries functioning properly such as anovulation. Doctors often prescribe Clomid for infertility for women who have not been able to get pregnant. Clomid is less expensive than most of the other fertility drugs that are available.
How Clomid Works For Infertility Problems
Researchers are not quite sure how Clomid works in the body but essentially it seems to have the ability to create a situation in a woman's body where the body actually thinks the estrogen level is below normal and thus the body begins a complicated process to produce more estrogen. An area of a women's brain known as the hypothalamus creates and disperses more gonadotropin thus releasing the hormone known as GNRH which causes the pituitary gland to create and release more of the hormones known as FSH and LH. The LH hormone induces the ovulation that the doctor and patient have been seeking. By causing the production of LH and FSH hormones Clomid essentially cultivates the mature ovarian follicle and causes the ovum to be released. This procedure is known as ovulation induction.
Typically, when women take Clomid for infertility they take it four or five days before the beginning of their cycle. After women begin ovulating women typically become pregnant sometime during the first six cycles while involved in the treatment. Clomid has been successful for a lot of women; however pregnancy is not a certainty while using Clomid for infertility. If you choose to take Clomid to induce pregnancy most experts suggest that you also take a pre-natal supplement that includes folic acid. Some women take an herbal supplement called Vitex in order to induce ovulation and Clomid should not be taken along with Vitex.
Possible Side Affects of Clomid
Some experts believe there might be a connection with Clomid as well as other fertility drugs to ovarian cancer. Women who have liver disease should not be using Clomid. Evidence has not been found by researchers that connects Clomid to birth defects in children. Taking Clomid for infertility has caused some women to have multiple births. Studies have shown that twins occur in about five percent of the births of women taking Clomid.
It is thought that Clomid has been over prescribed and appropriate tests to check a woman's fertility should be taken to make sure she actually has a problem with ovulation. It is believed that fertility problems of males are responsible for approximately thirty percent of the cases where women cannot become pregnant. Doctors believe that women who take Clomid that do not have ovulation problems or signs of infertility may have difficulties with conception due to taking Clomid. Taking Clomid for infertility can be helpful for some women but check with your doctor to find out if it is appropriate for you.
