Infertility Drugs
Infertility drugs, Do They Help?
If a couple has been having properly timed intercourse for
more than 12 months without conceiving, it is a condition
defined as infertile. Some sources speculate that as many
as 1 in 10 couples of reproductive age suffer from infertility.
The good news is that there are a number of treatments available
to infertile couples and as many as 60% of couples diagnosed
with mild infertility issues can eventually conceive a child.
In the market, there are several types of drugs to help couples
achieve pregnancy, and they are usually prescribed for women
who have hormonal or ovulation issues. Perhaps the most common
infertility drug is Clomid. This infertility drug induces
ovulation in women by changing the signals sent from the brain
to the ovaries to indicate an egg should be brought to maturation
and released. The other types of infertility drugs with similar
functions are such as Bromocriptine and gonadotropin that
release hormone agonists. Clomid and similar drugs are meant
to be taken orally during the early days of the menstrual
cycle.
Insulin levels also can affect a woman’s ability to
ovulate regularly, and some medications that regulate insulin
levels can improve fertility. Glucophage, which is usually
used to treat diabetes, can also be used as an infertility
drug. For women who are overweight and who suffer from Polycystic
Ovarian Syndrome are usually being prescribed with this drug,
which is also associated with insulin levels. Another variant
of this type of infertility drug is called Metformin. Both
Glucophage and Metformin are meant to be taken orally, continuously
throughout conception and pregnancy.
Other than orally administered drugs, there are many types
of infertility drugs which will be injected subcutaneously.
These drugs are formulated to act directly on the ovaries,
rather than working through the brain to encourage ovulation.
Injectible infertility drugs are usually used when other drugs
have been ineffective, or to support assisted reproduction
techniques such as artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization.
The good thing about Injectible infertility drugs is, they
allow doctors to control the menstrual cycle, making it easier
to pinpoint ovulation and the optimal time for conception.
Side Effects
Unfortunately, similar to all medications, infertility drugs
have their share of side effects. One common side effect of
almost all infertility drugs is a potentially serious condition
known as ovarian hyperstimulation. This condition will occur
when the ovaries are put under too much stress and begin to
swell. If left untreated, hyperstimulation might cause serious
complications and even death in some extremely serious cases.
Another common side effect of most infertility drugs is multiple
births. This happens because the infertility drugs can cause
more eggs to mature and be released, resulting in twins, triplets,
or in some cases, higher order multiples. You should understand
that that multiple births are less common with Clomid and
other orally administered drugs and occur more in injectible
drugs.
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