Is Clomid Therapy Right for You?

If you are under 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for a year or more — or over 35 and trying for six months or more — you may be unable to ovulate on your own (anovulation). The fertility drug Clomid, brand name for clomiphene citrate, may be a first-line oral fertility drug that will work for you.

“Clomid therapy increases a couple’s fertility by increasing the number of eggs matured in a cycle and by producing a healthier egg and follicle,” says David Kreiner, M.D., a New York fertility doctor (reproductive endocrinologist) with East Coast Fertility in Long Island, NY.

Women, such as those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), who do not ovulate on their own regularly, may find Clomid to be a successful fertility treatment. Ovulation problems can be evaluated through blood tests that detect hormones, ultrasound of the ovaries, or an ovulation home test kit. An irregular menstrual pattern may indicate an ovulation problem; however it's also possible for a woman with regular periods to have an ovulation disorder.

There are certain situations in which you should NOT take Clomid or should talk to your fertility doctor first. These are if you:

• might be pregnant
• have a thyroid problem or another endocrine disorder
• have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
• have endometriosis or endometrial carcinoma
• have uterine fibroids
• have liver disease
• have ovarian cysts or ovarian enlargement not due to PCOS
• have any other serious or chronic medical illness.

Clomid is not a magic fertility pill, and as with any drug, there can be side effects. In addition, there are many reasons why a woman may not ovulate, so it is important to be screened by a fertility doctor and have a fertility work-up to find out if the drug is appropriate for you.