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Are you currently on a Clomid® cycle and wondering, “How many days after Clomid® do you ovulate?”
You’re not alone. There are many unknowns involved when trying a new fertility medication.
To get started we’ll answer the one question that’s on your mind – you should expect to ovulate 5-10 days after your last clomiphene pill.
And if you’re wondering about the success rates of Clomid ®, one study showed an ovulation rate of 48.3% and a live birth rate of 19.1% while on Clomid ®.
To learn more about Clomid® and ovulation, keep reading. We’ll begin by diving into how Clomid® can help you ovulate.
First, a quick note – we use the names Clomid® and clomiphene citrate interchangeably throughout the blog. They are the same medication but Clomid® is the brand name and clomiphene citrate is the drug name.
How does Clomid® work for ovulation?
Clomiphene citrate (Clomid®) is a fertility treatment used to trigger ovulation.
It is commonly used for women with anovulatory infertility for this reason. It is a hormone therapy medicine called a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM).
The goal of Clomid® is to trigger ovulation. So, how does it do this?
Clomid® works by binding and blocking the estrogen receptors in your brain so that estrogen cannot bind.
Here’s a simple way to view this mechanism of action:
Imagine the estrogen receptors in your brain are like locks. And estrogen is a key that fits into the locks. Clomiphene is like an “imposter key” that can fit into the lock and then block estrogen from fitting.
So your body thinks your estrogen levels are low. To compensate, it sends a signal to your pituitary gland to produce follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH stimulates your ovarian follicles to grow which increases the chances of releasing a mature egg (ovulation).
Ideally, one of your eggs will mature enough to get released during ovulation and then meet a sperm for fertilization.
Clomid® is a bit sneaky, but it’s all for triggering ovulation! Usually, you ovulate 5-10 days after your last dose of Clomid®.
When should I take clomiphene?
Clomiphene is usually started on cycle days 3, 4, or 5, during the early stages of your menstrual cycle.
It’s crucial to use Clomid® in your follicular phase to promote ovulation. This is because the follicular phase is when your follicles grow and prepare for ovulation. You take clomiphene once a day for 5 days.
The Clomid® dosage you take can vary from 50-250 mg. Your doctor decides which dosage is best for you based on your circumstances.
Note: Please follow your doctor’s instructions closely if you are prescribed Clomid®.
If you didn’t get your period you can still use Clomid®. You can induce a period by taking an oral progestin for 5-12 days and then begin Clomid® according to your doctor’s guidelines.
How many days after clomiphene will I ovulate?
If Clomid® successfully triggers ovulation, you’ll ovulate 5-10 days after your last dose.
To pinpoint when you’re close to ovulation, you can use an ovulation prediction kit test (OPK) or a fertility monitor like Inito.
Here’s what you need to know if you want to test with an OPK while using clomiphene:
- Start testing with the OPK the day after you took your last Clomid® pill.
- Test every day until your luteinizing hormone (LH) levels start to rise. (This is called the LH surge).
- When your LH levels begin to rise you will receive a positive OPK. Ovulation generally occurs in the next 24-36 hours. (Which means it’s baby-making time!)
- While OPKs help track LH, they don’t provide the full picture of your fertility hormones. And they can only predict ovulation; they can’t confirm ovulation.
You may opt for a more advanced option like the Inito Fertility Monitor if you want detailed information about your fertility.
Your doctor may also order a follicular scan or a progesterone blood test at 7 DPO to see if clomiphene worked.
Follicle scans monitor the follicle development to predict and confirm ovulation.
Blood progesterone levels are drawn at 7 DPO to confirm ovulation.
Learn more: Day 21 Progesterone Testing: What It Is & Why It’s Important
If you don’t have a 28-day cycle, testing blood progesterone on day 21 may be accurate. However, only 12% of women have a 28-day cycle. Instead, you can use PdG testing to confirm ovulation.
The Inito Fertility Monitor is an at-home test that measures four key fertility hormones – LH, estrogen, FSH, and PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) on a single strip. LH, estrogen, and FSH help track your 6-day fertile window and notify you when you’re close to ovulation. PdG helps you confirm ovulation.
Now that you’ve squared away ovulation, it’s time to start planning when to have sexual intercourse!
When to have sex after taking clomiphene?
Don’t forget you can use the Inito Fertility Monitor to help you track your fertile window and confirm ovulation. This takes away the guesswork and makes it easier to plan intercourse.
Success rate of clomiphene for ovulation
The success rate of clomiphene will vary based on the underlying condition causing anovulation. Studies show different success rates for women with PCOS vs. women with unexplained infertility.
Here’s what the science says about clomiphene’s success rate:
- PCOS
If you have PCOS, you may be prescribed clomiphene as a first-line treatment for anovulatory cycles.
One study (which included 750 women with PCOS) showed that clomiphene citrate resulted in a 48.3% ovulation induction rate. The same study showed a live birth rate of 19.1% for women on clomiphene citrate.
Note – while Clomid® can be effective, studies have shown letrozole may be more effective for some women with PCOS. Learn more about letrozole for fertility here. (Link letrozole blog when ready)
- Unexplained infertility
If you have unexplained infertility, you struggle to get pregnant but the underlying cause of infertility is unknown. You may be prescribed Clomid® to increase your chances of ovulation every month.
One study (which included 900 women with unexplained fertility) showed clomiphene citrate resulted in a 23.3% live birth rate. A few other studies showed clomiphene citrate results in a pregnancy rate of 12-23%.
Symptoms of ovulation after taking clomiphene
Since you’re taking clomiphene to induce ovulation, you’re probably keen to know which ovulation symptoms to look out for!
Ovulation with Clomid® should not differ much from ovulation without Clomid®.
Here are some ovulation symptoms you may experience (But remember, it’s totally normal to not have symptoms as well):
- Increased cervical mucus: Around ovulation your cervical mucus increases and resembles egg whites. Check your cervical mucus to see if you have that ooey-gooey mucus!
Note: Clomiphene can reduce egg-white cervical mucus because of its antiestrogenic effect. This can make it more difficult to track ovulation using your cervical mucus. Sex may feel more uncomfortable as well. Try using a fertility-friendly lubricant to decrease discomfort.
- Rise in basal body temperature (BBT): Your basal body temperature increases up to one degree Fahrenheit right after ovulation.
- Ovulation cramps: About 40% of women experience “mittelschmerz” which is abdominal pain during ovulation.
- Breast tenderness: Your breasts may feel heavy or full due to a rise in progesterone after ovulation.
Know more: Ovulation Symptoms: How Do You Really Know?
Now, on the flip side, you may wonder what your options are if you don’t ovulate on clomiphene.
What if I don’t ovulate on Clomid®?
If you did not ovulate on your current clomiphene cycle, you can immediately restart with Clomid® on a 50 mg higher dose for another 5 days.
You can take clomiphene for up to 6 cycles or until you reach the maximum dose of 250 mg. If you don’t ovulate or get pregnant after 6 cycles of Clomid® treatment, you’ll be switched to an alternative regime like letrozole or gonadotropins.
So far we have focused on Clomid® use in women who don’t ovulate. But what if you take Clomid® when you already ovulated?
Risks of taking Clomid® when you already ovulate
Clomiphene is sometimes prescribed even if you already ovulate regularly.
You may have unexplained infertility in which you ovulate but are struggling to conceive.
Your doctor could prescribe clomiphene to induce controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. This is done to increase the amount of eggs that are released in a month to increase the chances of pregnancy. Otherwise known as “superovulation”.
This is not without risks, however.
Rarely, you can develop a complication called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). When this occurs, too many eggs are produced which leads to cystic enlargement of your ovaries. The accumulation of fluid causes your ovaries to swell. The fluid can then leak into your abdomen and cause weight gain and bloating. This can result in breathlessness, dizziness, pelvic pain, nausea, or vomiting.
OHSS usually resolves on its own, but notify your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms noted above.
Key takeaways
- Clomiphene works to induce ovulation in women with anovulation.
- You will be instructed to start taking Clomid® on cycle days 3, 4, or 5 for 5 continuous days.
- You will likely ovulate 5-10 days after the day of your last dose of clomiphene.
- Plan to start having sexual intercourse 5 days after your last dose of clomiphene.
- You can be on clomiphene treatment for up to 6 cycles.
- Studies show clomiphene citrate results in a 60-85% ovulation rate in anovulatory patients.
- Studies show clomiphene citrate results in a 10-20% live birth rate, depending on the underlying cause of infertility.
- Symptoms of ovulation while on Clomid® include changes in cervical mucus, a rise in BBT, abdominal cramps, and breast tenderness.
- You can take Clomid® if you already ovulate, but you could develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
FAQs
You could get pregnant during your first cycle of Clomid®. There is a 10-20% pregnancy rate per cycle with clomiphene citrate, but this can vary from person to person based on your age, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions.
Clomiphene citrate can cause your cycle length to temporarily lengthen and your period to be late. A late period may also indicate pregnancy! Take a pregnancy test if you suspect that is the cause of your late period.
You will start taking Clomid® early in your menstrual cycle on cycle days 3, 4, or 5. It’s important to take clomiphene citrate during your follicular phase so your follicles can grow and release an egg. You need to take Clomid® for 5 days and you would ovulate 5-10 days later.
Higher doses of clomiphene can cause the release of multiple eggs. This is great for improving your chance of getting pregnant. But it also means you have an increased chance of multiple births. (This means getting pregnant with twins or triplets!)
