Clomid Facts

Updated October 21, 2010
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Clomid facts can help women make a decision about the best infertility treatment. Learning as much as possible about the medication is an important step in developing an infertility treatment plan.

What Is Clomid

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Clomid is a brand of the generic medication, clomiphine citrate, which is in a class of medications called ovulatory stimulants. It is an oral medication prescribed to women dealing with infertility. The product works by inducing ovulation in women who typically do not produce eggs.

Clomid Prescriptions

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Clomid facts about the medication's prescriptions can help you take steps for optimal results. An obstetrics and gynecology physician may prescribe Clomid, but may not do a complete fertility workup first. Ideally, patients should see a reproductive specialists who can determine the specific cause for infertility before prescribing the medication.

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Unexplained Infertility

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If a reproductive specialist or gynecologist is unable to find a cause for infertility, she may prescribe Clomid. When tests come back normal in women under the age of 35, the medication may increase the odds of a woman becoming pregnant. This approach may be used after you have been trying to conceive for at least one year.

Clomid Treatments

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Clomid may be used as a treatment for anovulatory cycles and polycysctic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Anovulatory cycles occur when a woman does not ovulate after menstruation. Clomid may be prescribed to treat this condition.

Women with irregular cycles who have difficulty becoming pregnant may take clomiphine citrate medication.

Clomid may also be effective in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) when the condition relates to infertility. It is less expensive and less invasive than in vitro fertilization (IVF), another treatment option.

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Duration of Treatment

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Clomid is not without side effects. Long-term use is not recommended and women typically take the medication for about six cycles. The prescription may increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer with long-term use but some research suggests that the concern is unfounded.

If the medication does not work within six cycles, it is time to move on to a different fertility treatment.

Other Uses

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Clomid may be prescribed to treat mild male infertility because it may improve the quality of sperm in men who have mild semen abnormalities. Clomid may also be used to treat the following conditions:

  • Menstrual problems
  • Unnecessary breast milk production
  • Fibrocyctic breasts

Precautionary Clomid Facts

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Clomid facts may rule this medication out in some cases. Talk to your doctor about the following concerns:

  • Allergic to clomiphene or other medication
  • Liver, adrenal, or thyroid disease
  • Breastfeeding
  • Pituitary tumor, uterine fibroids, or abnormal vaginal bleeding

Clomid may cause blurred vision in some patients and it increases the chances of a multiple pregnancy slightly.