Fertility DrugsContents • What Are Infertility Drugs? |
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What Are Infertility Drugs?
Fertility drugs are medications which are taken to stimulate ovulation (also known as ovarian stimulation). These drugs can be taken as an oral pill or in stronger doses by injection. While some of the medications can also be used to treat male infertility, they are much more commonly prescribed to women. In fact fertility medications are often the first line of treatment for female infertility. They work by increasing the level of certain hormones in your body so that you release one or more eggs a month (ovulation). While most medications have been around for years, they still carry some side effects; primarily they increase your chance of having twins or even triplets. Have you noticed more women pushing twin strollers around the shopping mall in recent years? According to statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ovulation treatments account for nearly 25 percent of all multiple births in the United States. As the number of women turning to fertility treatment increases, so too are the number of twins and triplets being born. It is estimated that about 190,000 children are born every year in the US by OI.
Who Needs Fertility Medications? OI is usually recommended to women with: What Are The Most Popular Fertility Drugs? The most popular are:
Clomiphene (usually Clomid) is usually taken as a pill 5 or more days a month. It is supposed to induce ovulation on day 13 or 14 of your menstrual cycle, if you have a regular 28 day menstrual cycle. For more information, read about your most fertile days. The initial dosage is usually 50mg. It may be increased to 100mg the following month if you don't ovulate. Doses higher than 150mg are generally not recommended, but protocols vary from one fertility clinic to another. About 10 percent of women who take clomiphene go on to give birth to multiples (usually twins). 80 percent of pregnancies occur within the first 3 months of taking clomiphene; very few occur after 6 months. If you have not fallen pregnant within the first 3 months, you may be prescribed stronger fertility drugs which need to be injected. Women over the age of 40 tend not to respond well to clomiphene, so they may be advised to head straight for gonadotropins. Gonadotropins are often prescribed to women: Women with a rare cause of infertility called hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea are usually prescribed this medication. Taken as an oral pill or a vaginal pill bromocriptine is usually taken for several months, 2 or 3 times a day. Between 65 and 85 percent of patients become pregnant with this treatment. As you are boosting your hormone levels, many of the side effects are like a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This includes:
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For more information, see the following: • Infertility Resources: List of support and information websites. Back To Homepage: Womens Health Advice |
WOMENS HEALTH ADVICE: ABOUT INFERTILITY |