Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is a fertility drug that has been used since the 1950s. Dr. Mark Leondires from the Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut states that it was originally used as a treatment for breast cancer since it has anti-estrogenic properties. However, it was discovered that clomiphene also helps induce ovulation. Clomid and pregnancy have a long and close relation. So since then, Clomid has been used as a drug to promote natural ovulation in women who want to become pregnant.
Who Can Take Clomid for Pregnancy?
When it comes to clomid and pregnancy, who should take the Clomid and under what conditions will Clomid be used?
1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Doctors usually recommend Clomid for the treatment of disorders in ovulation due to polycystic ovary syndrome.
2. Infertility
Aside from this, they may also use it to induce ovulation in women who have unexplained infertility, which means that despite having normal physical examination and laboratory test results, they are not able to conceive a baby. It may be used in combination with Metformin (glucophage), a drug usually used to regulate insulin levels, which may help boost ovulation.
3. During Fertility Treatment
Clomid may also be used before a woman undergoes fertility treatments such as artificial insemination to increase her chances of pregnancy.
What Is the Success Rate of Clomid for Pregnancy?
Although it is a medically approved drug and there's a long and close relation between Clomid and pregnancy, there is a lack of solid evidence that Clomid is effective in increasing pregnancy rates in all women. If you are trying to become pregnant, you would probably want to know if treatment with Clomid will help you ovulate and conceive a baby.
Some studies suggest that Clomid treatment in women who have problems with ovulation can result in most of them (about 80%) releasing an egg from their ovaries within the first cycle of treatment.
However, getting pregnant is another story. The chances of getting pregnant during the first cycle is only 30%. And yet, this is almost similar to the odds of conceiving a baby (25%) at any time in couples who have no fertility problems.
Therefore, do not be discouraged if you do not get pregnant in the first month of treatment. Almost half of the couples who are treated with Clomid are able to conceive a baby within the first six months.
Treatment with Clomid is usually limited to 6 consecutive months.
How to Quickly Get Pregnant on Clomid
Clomid and pregnancy do have some connection as Clomid can be effective for some women who want to get pregnant. But the thing is how can you conceive quickly with it?
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Steps |
Descriptions |
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Get a prescription |
You need to get a doctor's prescription for Clomid. However, before a doctor give you a prescription, he/she will first evaluate you if you are a good candidate for the treatment. Women who have been trying to get pregnant for only less than a year may be advised to wait before getting treatments. |
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Save money by getting clomiphene citrate |
Fertility drugs are not covered by insurance, and it may take several treatments before you succeed in conceiving a baby. Instead of buying the brand Clomid, you can save money by asking for a prescription for the generic drug. |
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Take the drug as directed |
Clomid or clomiphene tablets are taken on the third to the seventh days of the menstrual cycle. However, some doctors may advise you to take it on the fifth to the ninth days of the cycle. Remember that Day 1 of your cycle is the day when true menstrual bleeding, not spotting, starts. |
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No need for daily ultrasound |
Your doctor may want to monitor the effects of Clomid on your ovulation by taking daily ultrasound. This procedure does not guarantee that you will get pregnant. It is therefore an expensive monitoring aid, and you may opt to skip it to save money. |
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Have sex every other day |
Starting on the seventh day of the cycle, you can plan to have sexual intercourse every other day to allow sperms to build up in your partner's body. Avoid having sex more often than this because it may reduce your chances of getting pregnant. |
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Check your cervical mucus |
You will know if you are ovulating by the quality of your cervical mucus. Starting on Day 10 of your cycle, check if your mucus has the consistency of an egg white. This indicates that ovulation will take place soon. |
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Verify if you are ovulating using an ovulation kit |
You can also verify if you are ovulation by using a kit that predicts ovulation. This can be bought over-the-counter and can help confirm if it is time to get pregnant. If it is positive, have sexual intercourse for two days in a row. After this, go back to your every other day schedule. |
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Check if you are pregnant |
Using a home pregnancy test, check if your efforts are successful on Day 28 or later. You don't have to wait too long before you know it happens! |
What Are the Side Effects of Clomid?
Despite the long and close relation between Clomid and pregnancy, still side effects may occur and should be paid special attention to.
1. Minor Side Effects
Many fertility drugs, like all other medicines, can cause some mild side effects. These include abdominal pain and swelling, breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, blurred vision, fatigue, headache, depression, and weight gain. In a few women, ovarian cysts may develop.
2. Twin Births
Women who are treated with fertility drugs have a 10% chance of giving birth to twins. In rare cases, triplets or even bigger multiple pregnancies also develop, which can increase a woman's risk of complications such as miscarriage.
3. Emotional Effects
Fertility treatments can be a source of emotional stress, because of the anticipation and the long process of treatment involved. You will therefore need your partner or a friend's support to help you go through the doctor's visits and the follow-up steps involved in treatment.
4. Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Using clomid with other potent fertility drugs sometimes results in the development of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or OHSS. This is characterized by bloating and weight gain. Some women also have experience shortness of breath, pelvic pain, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. This condition occurs when your ovaries produce multiple eggs. This causes the ovaries to swell several times their normal size, leaking fluid into the abdominal cavity. No treatment is usually necessary, although in a few cases, you may need to be hospitalized for monitoring.
5. Ovarian Cancer
Although this used to be a concern, studies show that using fertility drugs does not necessarily increase the risk of cancer in the ovaries, even if treatments take more than 12 months.
Look for more information about how Clomid works and what side effects clomid brings about? Check out the video below:
