Here at Attain Fertility, we aim to be the leaders in sharing the latest information about fertility drugs and infertility medication.
How fertility dugs work
Fertility drugs are extremely effective. Millions of couples who rely on fertility pills safely get pregnant and stay pregnant by using fertility drugs - without having to go on to more high-tech procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Here are some ways that fertility drugs help you conceive:
1. They help to create a "super" physiologic situation where an "extra push" is given for follicular development.
2. Fertility drugs improve hormonal balance, increasing the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy.
3. Fertility medications like oral clomiphene citrate (Clomid) cause an increase in the secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), boosting ovulation. (Injectable gonadotropins work by stimulating the ovaries directly and are usually prescribed when women do not respond to Clomid).
Keep reading to learn more about fertility drugs
Fertility drugs can help you conceive if your reproductive system just needs a little nudge. Below we offer a general overview of fertility drugs. However, you can skip directly to the following sections for specific information about particular fertility drugs:
- Progesterone
- Clomid
- Looking for Clomid success rates or Clomid side effects?
- Fertility drugs for men
- Learn about injectable fertility drugs and how to inject infertility drugs.
- Click here for a list and explanation of some of the most common fertility drugs.
Fertility drugs for ovulation
Fertility drugs are commonly prescribed for ovulation disorders, one of the leading causes of infertility. Fertility drugs can help to optimize your ovarian environment and regulate your ovulation cycle, boosting ovulation to help you conceive.
If you are having ovulation problems, your doctor may want to try controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) with fertility pills. This encourages your ovaries to release multiple eggs during ovulation. This technique is often coupled with IUI or IVF.
The right dose of fertility drugs
It is important that your doctor finds the right dose of fertility drugs. A low dose of fertility drugs may lead to an inadequate response. Too high of a dose can lead to a potentially serious condition called ovarian hyperstimulation (OHSS).
With ovarian hyperstimulation your ovaries could become extremely large and fill with fluid. The fluid is then released with ovulation and can lead to serious complications.
Benefits of fertility drugs
Today, most fertility doctors recommend that you try at least several cycles of fertility pills before moving on to more high-tech therapies like IVF. If fertility drugs don't work for you, ask your doctor to try another fertility treatment option until you find that one that enables you to successfully get pregnant.
The downside of fertility drugs
Fertility drugs are helpful, but they aren't perfect. There are some drawbacks when taking fertility medications. As mentioned above, fertility drugs may cause OHSS, a very serious condition. Fertility drugs can increase your chance for having multiples. Being pregnant with twins, triplets or more can put your babies at risk for premature birth, as well as compromise your own health.
Be open with your fertility specialist. Ask questions about the safety and success rates of fertility drugs. And be persistent in your own self-care, following the advice of your doctor.
Fertility drugs and pregnancy
If you have been trying to get pregnant without success, visit a fertility specialist to find out if fertility drugs might help you conceive. Fertility pills may be all that you need to boost your chances of pregnancy.
Keep reading to learn more about female fertility drugs.
Sources: American Society for Reproductive Medicine: Medications for Inducing Ovulation http://www.asrm.org/uploadedFiles/ASRM_Content/Resources/Patient_Resources/Fact_Sheets_and_Info_Booklets/ovulation_drugs.pdf Bruce, D, Thatcher, S., Berg, B. Making a Baby.
