If you haven’t conceived after 6 to 12 months of trying, you may visit a doctor to determine if there is a problem. Many women who seek treatment for infertility are prescribed fertility drugs. Some are taken orally and others are injectable. You may wonder what the drug does and how it can help you get pregnant. Here’s a little bit about the commonly prescribed fertility drugs.
Many doctors start off by prescribing Clomiphene citrate. This is sold under the brand names of Clomid or Serophene. This drug is administered orally for five days, usually starting on day three of your cycle. The doctor may start off with 50 mg and increase the dosage if conception doesn’t happen.
Clomiphene citrate works by suppressing estrogen and increasing production of the hormones FSH and LH. These hormones stimulate egg production and release in the ovaries. About forty percent of women become pregnant on Clomid or Serophene. Ovulation predictor kits are often used with these drugs to help detect ovulation and increase the odds of conception.
If you don’t get pregnant after several cycles of Clomiphene citrate, the doctor may prescribe an injectable fertility medication. There are several injectable drugs that can be prescribed, such as Menopur, Gonal F, Follistim and Repronex. They all work in a similar way to induce ovulation.
injectable fertility drugs use the hormones FSH and LH to stimulate the ovaries to produce, ripen and release eggs. Some drugs contain FSH, others LH and some a combination of FSH and LH. You and your partner will visit the fertility clinic to learn how to inject the medication. They are intramuscular injections that are given in the upper part of the buttocks. You will need to have an injection every night for several nights.
You will need to visit the fertility clinic often during your treatment. The doctor will do ultrasounds to determine how the eggs are ripening. Transvaginal ultrasounds are most effective for viewing the ovaries and developing follicles. When the eggs are ripe, a separate injection is given to release the eggs. This will be timed to coincide with artificial insemination or egg retrieval, if you are undergoing in vitro fertilization.
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