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Have you been trying to get pregnant with no luck? You may want to consider Clomid® or clomiphene citrate, to help you conceive.
Clomiphene has seen especially great success in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who were suffering from ovulatory issues. For this population, the addition of Clomid® showed a 48.3% ovulation induction rate and a live birth rate of 19.1%!
And for women with unexplained infertility, Clomid® has brought on clinical pregnancies in 28.3% of the cycles and a live birth rate in 23.3% of the cycles.
Wondering how to increase your chances of getting pregnant with Clomid®? You’re in the right place. Here we talk about the essentials for getting pregnant on Clomid® as well as what to do (and what not to do) while taking this fertility drug.
Note: Clomid® is the brand name of the drug clomiphene citrate. These are used interchangeably in this blog.
How does Clomid® work?
Clomid® is an SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator).
This simply means that it binds and blocks your estrogen receptors so that estrogen can’t bind to them. It tricks your brain into thinking that you have low estrogen levels. This triggers your body to produce more follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
That increase in FSH causes your ovarian follicles (which house your eggs) to grow. For an egg to be released, it has to grow to a particular size.
In a normal cycle, your body picks one follicle each month to mature and release an egg. Taking clomiphene, however, means multiple follicles can mature. This increases the chances that at least one will release a mature egg. And this is how you boost your chances of getting pregnant!
Now, let’s take a look at why you might use Clomid® as part of your treatment plan.
Who should take Clomid®?
As we talked about earlier, clomiphene causes ovulation. So it’s great for those with:
- Chronic anovulation
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
- Unexplained infertility
For clomiphene to do its job, your brain should be able to release FSH when stimulated.
So, what if you have issues not related to ovulation? These include conditions like hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (fertility problems due to issues with your hypothalamus or pituitary gland), blocked tubes, uterine abnormalities, pelvic lesions, etc. If so, Clomid® will not increase your chances of pregnancy.
Now, let’s take a look at some tips to increase your chances of getting pregnant on clomiphene.
Tips for getting pregnant on Clomid®
To increase your chances of Clomid® resulting in a pregnancy, here are some tips to follow.
1. Take it at the same time every day
Take your Clomid® at the same time every day to avoid forgetting. Also to keep the optimal drug concentration in your blood. This ensures the medicine is working its best.
Morning vs. night? Doesn’t matter. Both are effective. Some people find that taking it before bed helps them sleep through the side effects. But others prefer the morning.
The choice is yours! Just stick with the same time every day.
2. Prep for side effects
Like any medication, Clomid® has side effects. It’s important to prepare for these side effects ahead of time so they don’t take you by surprise.
The side effects of Clomid® may feel similar to menopause.
That’s because Clomid® blocks your estrogen receptors. Which means your body thinks it’s low on estrogen.
These side effects look like:
- Hot flashes
- Headaches
- Mood irritability
- Breast tenderness
- Sleep disturbances
But you shouldn’t have to deal with all of these side effects on your own. Let your partner and loved ones know what to look out for so they can support you.
3. Take it with food
Are you someone who struggles with stomach problems? Prone to gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, abdominal discomfort, or an upset stomach?
Taking Clomid® with food can help counter the side effects. But, if you’ve tried it without food and you don’t feel any discomfort, keep doing what you’re doing!
4. Use a fertility-friendly lubricant
Another side effect of Clomid® and other fertility drugs is thicker cervical mucus and vaginal dryness. That’s thanks to the medication’s antiestrogenic effect.
The issue with thicker cervical mucus is that it makes penetration harder for the sperm. And we definitely don’t want that. We want sperm to be able to reach your egg and penetrate with no problem!
The resulting vaginal dryness can make sex uncomfortable and even painful.
The solution to both these problems? A fertility-friendly lubricant. Look out for ones with labels like “sperm-friendly” or “fertility-friendly.” These are free of fragrances and parabens, making them a better support for conception.
Read more: Lube & Fertility: Is It Safe To Use Lube When TTC?
5. Take birth control pills before starting
Have you done a couple of treatment cycles with no success? Well, you may just need to pair clomiphene with birth control pills.
We know – taking birth control when you’re TTC sounds counterintuitive. But, research shows it can actually help regulate your menstrual cycle.
A small study on Clomid®-resistant women (those who were not ovulating or responding to high doses of Clomid® even after 2-3 cycles) looked at taking birth control pills for two months before starting another Clomid® cycle. The result? Ovulation in 76.6% of women, with 60% of them getting pregnant.
These findings were supported by another study.
So why does birth control help with the effectiveness of Clomid®? Birth control halts ovulation and works to keep your follicles “fresh” for when you’re ready to start taking Clomid®. In other words, birth control gives your ovaries a much needed vacay, before they start working full time.
6. Ultrasound monitoring
Why should you ask your doc about USG monitoring?
Because in addition to tracking your ovulation, it also checks on your endometrial thickness.
We now know that Clomid® blocks the estrogen receptors in your brain and helps your body produce more FSH. This is great for ovulation.
However, it can also have an anti-estrogenic effect on the uterus. This means it can cause your endometrium to remain thin. If that’s the case, then even if you are ovulating, implantation, and thus, pregnancy, is affected.
So when you go in for a follicular scan, ask your doctor about your endometrial thickness. If Clomid® is noticeably affecting your endometrium, then it may not be the right fertility treatment for you.
Your doctor can help you find another fertility option that’s better suited.
7. Ask for support
Dealing with fertility treatments can be a physical and emotional rollercoaster. This journey can feel overwhelming and stressful.
And studies show that psychological distress can reduce fertility. That’s the opposite of what we want.
Know that you’re not alone. This is a time to lean on your partner, family, friends, and loved ones for emotional support while taking Clomid®. You need a strong support system to help you navigate this time.
You can also consider joining the Inito community. It’s a safe place to share your stories and struggles and to connect with other women experiencing the same. We are in this together!
8. Track ovulation
Tracking ovulation is the key to identifying your fertile window.
You can expect to ovulate 5-10 days after your final dose of Clomid®. We know this big window of time is less than ideal, so don’t force yourself to have sex every other day. It’s supposed to be fun, not a burden.
Look to ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) to help. However, note that most OPKs measure only alpha LH and may cross-react with FSH and TSH. And this may result in false positives.
Learn more: How Accurate Are Ovulation Tests?
You may be better off with a fertility monitor that gives you the whole picture of your fertility hormones. Like Inito.
inito measures all four of your fertility hormones to help confirm ovulation. And it provides you with actual numerical values, not just thresholds. Even better? It does all this with a single test strip.
Inito looks at LH, estrogen, and FSH to help you track your fertile window and tell you when you’re going to ovulate. It also measures PdG (a urine metabolite of progesterone) to help you confirm ovulation.
9. Lead a healthy lifestyle
Your general lifestyle plays a big role in your fertility. Here are some healthy lifestyle habits to help with getting pregnant on this medication:
- A healthy diet of whole foods
- Regular and moderate exercise
- Good sleep habits (at least 7-8 hours per night)
- Minimize stress
- All of the above can boost your chances of fertility and increase your odds of pregnancy.
Here’s a quick recap:
How do I know if Clomid® is working?
If you weren’t ovulating before but are now, Clomid® is doing its job. You’ll know you’re ovulating with a positive blood progesterone or PdG test.
Read more: PdG Test: Key Things To Know About Progesterone Tests
How long does it take to get pregnant on Clomid®?
The number of treatment cycles it takes to conceive varies from person to person. Each person reacts differently to this medication.
One study found that 71-87.5% of pregnancies via Clomid® happen within the first three cycles of treatment.
That same study also revealed that 85% of anovulatory patients treated with Clomid® ovulated. This resulted in a 80% pregnancy rate per cycle.
And another study on non-PCOS patients with chronic anovulation found that 78% ovulated after taking just one treatment cycle.
But don’t get discouraged if you don’t get pregnant within the first or even the third cycle. Your doctor will routinely increase the dosage of clomiphene until six cycles.
Why a maximum of six?
Because there aren’t many benefits seen beyond these many rounds. If, after six rounds, pregnancy still hasn’t happened, your doctor may suggest that you move on to other fertility treatment options.
In Review
- Clomid® is a fertility drug that helps induce ovulation.
- It blocks the estrogen receptors in your body so that estrogen cannot bind to them.
- This causes your brain to think that estrogen levels are low and hence it increases the production of FSH to stimulate follicle growth.
- Clomid® is for women who struggle with ovulation. This includes women with PCOS, irregular cycles, anovulatory cycles, and unexplained infertility.
- Here are some tips for making the most of your Clomid® experience –
- Take the medication consistently at the same time every day.
- Take it with food if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Prepare for both physical and mental side effects. These include hot flashes, headaches, mood swings, and more.
- Taking birth control pills before starting clomiphene may help regulate your menstrual cycle.
- The medication can thicken cervical mucus and make your vagina dry. Use fertility-friendly lube to combat this.
- Get regular ultrasounds to monitor your uterine health.
- Ask for support from your loved ones to help you through this time. Also consider joining the Inito online community.
- Track ovulation using a fertility monitor like Inito.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means one with a good diet, moderate and regular exercise, enough sleep, and little to no stress.
- One study found that 71-87.5% of pregnancies happen within the first three cycles of Clomid®.
- If you don’t get pregnant after 6 cycles, talk to your healthcare professional about other fertility treatments.
FAQs
Yes, it can help you conceive. While there’s no guarantee that it will work for everyone, there have been great success rates.
Here are the top tips:
-Take it at the same time every day.
-Take with food if you have a sensitive stomach.
-Prepare for the side effects.
-Consider taking birth control pills before treatment cycles to help regulate your menstrual cycle.
-Use fertility-friendly lube to help with side effects.
-Get regular ultrasounds.
-Ask friends and family for support.
-Track ovulation with OPKs or a fertility monitor.
-Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Yes! As long as you’re following the tips above, there’s a good chance of pregnancy. 71-87.5% of Clomid® pregnancies happened within the first three treatment cycles.
Have you done a couple of treatment cycles with no success? Well, you may just need to pair clomiphene with birth control pills.
We know – taking birth control when you’re TTC sounds counterintuitive. But, research shows it can actually help regulate your menstrual cycle.
A small study on Clomid®-resistant women (those who were not ovulating or responding to high doses of Clomid® even after 2-3 cycles) looked at taking birth control pills for two months before starting another Clomid® cycle. The result? Ovulation in 76.6% of women, with 60% of them getting pregnant.
These findings were supported by another study.
So why does birth control help with the effectiveness of Clomid®? Birth control halts ovulation and works to keep your follicles “fresh” for when you’re ready to start taking Clomid®. In other words, birth control gives your ovaries a much needed vacay, before they start working full time.
6. Ultrasound monitoring
Why should you ask your doc about USG monitoring?
Because in addition to tracking your ovulation, it also checks on your endometrial thickness.
We now know that Clomid® blocks the estrogen receptors in your brain and helps your body produce more FSH. This is great for ovulation.
However, it can also have an anti-estrogenic effect on the uterus. This means it can cause your endometrium to remain thin. If that’s the case, then even if you are ovulating, implantation, and thus, pregnancy, is affected.
So when you go in for a follicular scan, ask your doctor about your endometrial thickness. If Clomid is noticeably affecting your endometrium, then it may not be the right fertility treatment for you.
Your doctor can help you find another fertility option that’s better suited.
7. Ask for support
Dealing with fertility treatments can be a physical and emotional rollercoaster. This journey can feel overwhelming and stressful.
And studies show that psychological distress can reduce fertility. That’s the opposite of what we want.
Know that you’re not alone. This is a time to lean on your partner, family, friends, and loved ones for emotional support while taking Clomid®. You need a strong support system to help you navigate this time.
You can also consider joining the Inito community. It’s a safe place to share your stories and struggles and to connect with other women experiencing the same. We are in this together!
8. Track ovulation
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