Is there a Link between Clomid and Male Infertility?
The medical community generally sees infertility as the inability by a couple to conceive after one full year of trying to get pregnant. While the focus of infertility tends to go to the woman first in many cases, men have their share of infertility problems as well. This has led doctors to seek treatment for male infertility as well, and has resulted in medications, procedures and other treatments that are designed to help in these cases. One of the treatment options that has received attention in recent years is the possible link between taking Clomid and male infertility. Although this medication is usually prescribed to women to help with issues like hormonal imbalances and lack of ovulation, some doctors are now prescribing it for men also.
What is Clomid?
Clomid is a drug that has been prescribed for thirty years to help with infertility in women. It can work effectively in problems like hormonal imbalances, irregular menstrual cycles and luteal phase defects. The reason that Clomid works well in these situations is because it can help to even out the delicate hormonal balance that is necessary for conception to take place. It can effectively induce ovulation in a large percentage of women who take it, thus helping them to overcome their infertility issues. But men don't ovulate. So how can Clomid and male infertility work together?
One of the things that Clomid does is to stimulate the pituitary gland. If the pituitary gland is stimulated in a man with a low testosterone count or poor motility in his sperm, the result can be a production of higher quality sperm that will increase the odds of conception taking place. In the early 1990's, the World Health Organization did a study that showed that taking Clomid for male infertility could indeed increase the production of sperm. However, most doctors feel that additional research needs to be done before a definite link between Clomid and male infertility can be determined.
At this point, there are some doctors who will prescribe Clomid for male infertility in cases where a low sperm count is diagnosed, along with low FSH of LH levels. The problem is that Clomid is primarily a drug that is prescribed for women, so insurance companies are not always willing to cover the cost of the drug when it is given to men. This makes it an expensive fertility treatment for many men. However, if the results of Clomid for male fertility are positive, most couples will be willing to pay the price to see conception finally occur.
