Questions about clomid

[jean]

1. Do they only prescribe it to ppl who don't ovulate regularly (or is it ever prescribed for ppl who ovulate, but just don't seem to be getting pregnant?)

2. Does using it raise your risk for pre-e/hellp like invitro does?

3. Does using it make you go into menopause earlier b/c your body is using up eggs faster? (Does it still only use once a month, or does clomid make it release a whole bunch of them? Sorry if that's a stupid question!)

[riehlism]

I'll answer the best I know. I was on Clomid myself...although I didn't get pregnant on Clomid. It seems I ovulated on my own. But that's another story.

It is not just reserved for those who do not ovulate regularly. Many women ovulate regularly, but ovulation may occur at different times with each cycle so that little egg may be harder to catch. However, some physicians may be more conservative and will request you try naturally for x amount of time before going to Clomid.

I do not believe it raises your risk for PE/HELLP. Clomid does not stay in your system very long (a few days I believe). Clomid is not something you take every day until you get pregnant. You take one pill a day for 5 days at cycle 3, 4, or 5, depending on what your doctor thinks is best.

The average female has about 400,000 eggs by the time of her first period. Running out of eggs isn't really a concern. A side effect of Clomid is that it can mature multiple follicles and therefore release more than just one egg. However, a good OB or Reproductive Endo will monitor the maturing follicles via ultrasound.

I hope that helps!

[sam10]

I was put on Clomid a few years ago when I could not conceive naturally after trying for one year. I did not help me get pregnant at all, as I did not conceive while using it. My doctors warned me that the likelihood of multiples is higher when using Clomid. The one side effect that I hated most were my mood swings, it was unbearable. As far as I know it can also negatively influence uterine lining.

[angieb]

Clomid can negatively affect uterine lining *and* it often creates hostile cervical mucus, so it's really not a great choice if you don't need help ovulating. I was on clomid and femara, the femara is much better for fertility, IMO, because it doesn't cause the lining and cervical mucus issues that clomid often causes, and it's more likely to only send out one mature egg each cycle. (Clomid has about a 10% risk of twins.)

If you've been TTC 6 months or more with well timed intercourse (once or twice in a fertile period), it's not out of the question to go in and start inquiring about fertility testing. At the very least, some hormone testing for you (bloodwork), and a semen analysis for DH. Most *good* obgyn's aren't opposed to start basic testing after 6 months of TTC with good timing, if there are other issues going on, it makes sense for them to help you figure that out sooner than later.

Any ART has been associated with an increased risk of pre-e, but that doesn't really mean it's a cause/effect type thing. I think the theory is that women prone to fertility problems are more likely to have pre-e, they don't really know why but it goes back to implantation and everything. For what it's worth, with my first pregnancy our daughter was conceived naturally, I had HELLP at 23 weeks. This time, I was on femara, plus an HCG trigger (this makes you ovulate in a specific 24-40 hour time frame), and we did IUI (insemination) the cycle that I got pregnant, and I've made it 7 weeks farther (now at 30 weeks, no issues). So, I wouldn't stress too much about an increased pre-e risk with clomid/etc., just based on my experience and what I've seen of the research.

[jean]

Thanks for the info! I've never heard of femara before...hmmm..

What does clomid do to the uterus lining, and how does that affect pregnancies? (Just curious)

I haven't talked to our OB yet, but I'm just feeling frustrated. Maybe I will contact him soon.

[sam10]

As far as I know Clomid can thin out the uterine lining, which can have a negative effect on implantation. If the uterine lining gets too thin a fertilized egg cannot implant. But this does not happen for all women. It is just one of the known side effects. I was also put on femara at one point, which was more tolerable for me.