How and When to Use Clomid
Clomid is one of the most widely used drugs to treat
infertility. Clomid is the common name for clomiphene
citrate. A woman must ovulate in order to become
pregnant. Clomid can cause a woman’s body to ovulate
by stimulating the hypothalamus to release more GnRH.
This then prompts the pituitary to release more LH and
FSH. Because of this stimulation, the ovary can
produce a mature egg.
Clomid is a very inexpensive drug and is very easy to
use. A woman is usually started on a 50 milligram dose
of Clomid. One pill per day is taken on each day
starting with cycle day 5 and ending with cycle day 9.
Ovulation usually occurs within 2 weeks. The typical
dosage for Clomid is between 50 milligrams and 250
milligrams. Several cycles on a 50 milligram dose
should be done before increasing the dosage because
side effects can increase with a higher dosage.
The side effects of Clomid are very mild. Hot flashes
can occur during use. Vision problems can occur, but
they are very rare. The rate of having multiple births
increases to approximately 5 to 8 percent. The normal
rate of having multiple births is 1 to 2 percent.
Breast tenderness, mood swings, thick cervical mucus,
and luteal phase deficiency can also occur. If Clomid
is used long-term, the risk of ovarian cancer can
increase. For this reason, Clomid should not be used
for longer than a year.
Clomid can be a good drug for helping a woman to
ovulate. If Clomid is not effective, further fertility
treatments should be considered rather than continuing
to use Clomid on a long-term basis.
