Clomid, also known as clomiphene citrate, is a drug used to induce ovulation, or egg production, in women over the age of 40 and is certified by the US Food and Drug Administration. If you are experiencing infertility problems and are having trouble conceiving due to anovulation, or a condition that causes no eggs to be produced, Clomid may be an option to consider. Discuss with your doctor to understand how Clomid is used as well as to find out if it is suitable for your problem..
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Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Use Clomid for Infertility
Step 1. Perform a fertility test
Before using Clomid, make sure first that you really need it. Clomid can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription. Therefore, visit a gynecologist or fertility specialist for a complete fertility test. Many factors can cause infertility. It is important that you know what the cause of your infertility is to ensure proper treatment.
Most likely, the doctor will recommend that the couple also do a fertility test
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about the options available to you
If your doctor decides that the root cause of your problem is anovulation and prescribes Clomid, discuss the procedure he or she used for your case. Procedures for you may include things like taking medications that can trigger ovulation. The procedure will also include sperm recognition, either through regular sexual intercourse or using the intrauterine insemination (IUI) technique. IUI occurs when a doctor places sperm into the uterus to help make sure it's in the right place.
The doctor will also schedule several appointments to do a blood test or ultrasound. That way, he will know the condition of your health and the state of your reproductive organs
Step 3. Call your doctor on the first day of your menstrual cycle
Before any treatment, you should contact your doctor early in your menstrual cycle to make sure you are in good health. Usually you can consult a doctor over the phone.
- If you don't have your period naturally, your doctor may prescribe progesterone to induce it.
- It's important to call your doctor early as he or she may need a basic ultrasound to check if you have a cyst before starting a treatment cycle.
- This process may continue as long as treatment is carried out as cysts may develop after the last Clomid cycle is complete.
Part 2 of 3: Using Clomid to Treat Infertility
Step 1. Start using Clomid
After the doctor examines you and makes sure all is well, he will start treatment. Usually you will be asked to take Clomid on the third to fifth day of your menstrual cycle and will continue to take it at the same time every day for 5 days. You will likely start using Clomid at a low dose, such as 50 mg per day. This is done to reduce the chances of the appearance of cysts, side effects, and multiple pregnancies.
- If you are not already pregnant, your doctor will increase your dose during your next Clomid cycle.
- Make sure you take the medication for the prescribed 5 days without missing a day. If you're having trouble remembering your medication schedule, create a message for yourself and post it somewhere you'll see it or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to take your medication at the same time each day.
- If you miss a schedule, take the missed medication as soon as you remember it. However, if you're just remembering it while your next schedule is near, call your doctor for instructions. Do not take a double dose.
Step 2. Make a schedule
Fertility treatment using Clomid involves many other measures. You can be overwhelmed. Therefore, create a daily schedule or calendar containing your medication schedule and all the different activities, tests, and cycles that you must adhere to. Your doctor will give you all the information you need to record on a calendar. You should mark the days in your cycle, starting with day 1 as the first day of your period.
Then you'll need to add the days you're taking Clomid, the days you'll have sex, the days you'll need to take ovulation-inducing drugs, your IUI date, and any dates you'll need to have a blood test or ultrasound scheduled
Step 3. Adhere to all the schedules you create
It is likely that your condition will be closely monitored throughout the treatment cycle. Your doctor will check to make sure your body is responding to Clomid properly. He or she will do this by checking estrogen levels or performing an ultrasound to confirm egg growth has occurred.
Or, your doctor will ask you to check your body's response to the medication using an ovulation predictor kit. Inform the doctor about the results
Step 4. Learn how the drug works
After your first cycle of medication, you may wonder what exactly the drug does to the body. In response to the hormonal changes caused by taking Clomid, the body is supposed to develop follicles in the ovaries and these follicles will contain eggs. Usually, one of the follicles will develop into the dominant follicle and the egg will reach maturity. This indicates that the egg is ready to be released and that you are ready for ovulation.
If the body does not respond to Clomid and the follicles do not develop as they should, the treatment cycle may be cancelled. In the next cycle of treatment, the doctor may increase the dose of Clomid
Step 5. Monitor your ovulation
About 12 days before your menstrual cycle, you should start checking for ovulation. This is a good time to get pregnant. Everyone ovulates at a different time, but generally ovulation occurs on day 16 or 17 of the menstrual cycle. However, to know for sure, your doctor will monitor your ovulation in several different ways.
- Your doctor may ask you to take your temperature every morning at the same time. If the temperature increases by about 0.35 degrees Celsius, it could be a hint that ovulation will occur in the next two days.
- Doctors may recommend using an ovulation predictor kit. You can buy it over the counter at the pharmacy. It looks like a urine pregnancy test kit, but it checks for the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH). LH levels reach their highest levels about 24-48 hours before ovulation and you are at your most fertile on the day when your LH levels spike and two days after that.
- In addition to using an ovulation predictor kit, your doctor can also use an ultrasound to check if the egg is ripe or if you have ovulated.
- Your doctor may also measure progesterone levels about 14-18 days after you take Clomid. An increase in progesterone levels can indicate ovulation and a possible pregnancy.
Step 6. Do something to trigger ovulation
If you are unable to ovulate naturally (or instead waiting for ovulation to occur), your doctor may prescribe an ovulation-inducing medication such as Ovidrel. This drug contains human chorionic gonadotropin which functions like LH. This medicine will cause the egg to be released and ovulation will occur.
- After the drug is injected, ovulation is expected to occur in about 24-48 hours.
- If your treatment procedure includes IUI, this is usually done about 36 hours after you get your ovulation trigger injection.
Step 7. Have sex on the day your doctor recommends
After starting treatment with Clomid, make sure you make the most of your chances of conceiving. This means you have to have sex every time your doctor recommends it. Usually the doctor will suggest certain days around the day when ovulation is expected.
If you get an ovulation trigger injection, your doctor will tell you the exact days for sex to give you the best chance of pregnancy
Step 8. Check if the treatment is working
After completing treatment with Clomid, you should check whether the drug is working properly. During ovulation, which is when an egg is released, it is hoped that the egg can be fertilized by a sperm. If this happens, the embryo will reach and attach to the uterus a few days later.
- If you don't have your period for about 15 days after the LH surge, your doctor may order you to take a pregnancy test.
- If you are pregnant, Clomid treatment is no longer necessary.
Step 9. Try again
If you haven't gotten pregnant in the first month, don't despair. You can continue Clomid treatment for the next month. If you are not pregnant, your period will usually occur on days 14 to 17 after ovulation. The first day the treatment is started again is the first day of the next menstrual cycle. On this day the doctor will continue the following treatment cycle.
- The doctor may increase the dose of Clomid or suggest a completely different method of treatment.
- In general, a person should not undergo treatment with Clomid for more than 6 cycles. If you are not pregnant after 3 to 6 cycles of treatment, discuss with your doctor about other options available.
Part 3 of 3: Understanding Clomid
Step 1. Learn how Clomid works
Clomid is classed as an ovulation stimulant used by women with fertility problems. These drugs work by binding to estrogen receptors in the body, thereby blocking the production of these hormones. That way, your body will think you have low estrogen levels. This in turn causes the body to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This reproductive hormone causes the body to produce more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which helps promote egg production in the body.
FSH stimulates the growth of follicles, which are the egg-containing elements in the ovaries
Step 2. Know when to use this medication
Doctors may prescribe Clomid for several different reasons. Clomid is used if you have infertility problems, a condition that prevents you from ovulating, and that means you can't produce or release mature eggs. Indications that you may have ovulation problems include not having a period or an irregular menstrual cycle.
- One common condition for which Clomid use is recommended is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Symptoms of PCOS include irregular menstrual cycles, excessive facial and body hair growth, acne, and male pattern baldness. There are different drug options available to treat PCOS symptoms, but Clomid is the first choice for the treatment of infertility caused by PCOS.
- Do not take Clomid while pregnant. Usually the doctor will do a pregnancy test before prescribing Clomid.
Step 3. Take the right dose
The doctor will advise about the concentration of Clomid that will be used. However, in some cases, the recommended starting dose is 50 mg, taken daily for 5 days and starting on day 5 of the menstrual cycle. If the dose does not trigger ovulation, the dose may be increased to 100 mg, taken daily for 5 days of the next menstrual cycle.
- Treatment may change from one cycle to the next, especially if there is no increase in ovulation.
- Do not increase or decrease the dose at will. Make sure you always follow your doctor's instructions regarding dosage.
Step 4. Recognize the possible side effects
There are some common side effects of using Clomid. This medicine may cause mild side effects such as flushing of the skin or a feeling of warmth all over the body, stomach pain including nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness, headache, dizziness, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and blurred vision.
- This medicine may cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can occur during or after treatment. OHSS, while serious, is rare. OHSS can cause serious and dangerous problems such as fluid buildup in the abdomen and chest. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe pain or swelling, rapid weight gain, nausea, or vomiting.
- If you experience severe vision problems, abdominal swelling or shortness of breath, contact your doctor immediately.
Step 5. Understand the risks
Although Clomid can help with ovulation problems, you should be careful when using this drug. Clomid should not be used for more than 6 cycles. If you have been using Clomid for 6 cycles but are not getting pregnant, your doctor may recommend other options such as hormone injections or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Ovarian cysts can form as a result of ovarian overstimulation. Doctors may perform an ultrasound to find ovarian cysts before starting another cycle of Clomid treatment.
- Long-term use of clomiphene, the drug in Clomid, may increase the risk of ovarian cancer, but there are some recent studies that do not support this.
