Depending on your diagnosis, oral infertility medications may be prescribed as the first line of treatment. Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara) are the most common oral fertility medications, also sometimes called the fertility pills.
While working through different mechanisms, these drugs help the woman’s body make more of its own FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), a hormone that signals the ovary to develop a mature egg.
Use of these fertility pills can be accompanied by ultrasounds and an intrauterine insemination (IUI) or the patient may be told to have timed intercourse.
One of the primary advantages to taking oral infertility medication is cost. They are significantly less expensive that injectable fertility medications, and may be covered by health insurance.
- Moodiness
- Mild headaches
- Vaginal dryness
- Hot flashes
- Ovarian cysts
- Nausea
- Visual disturbances
Talk with your doctor about what to expect.
Creating a Family has resources on oral fertility medications. A couple that we think you will find particularly helpful are:
- Infertility Medications 101 (1 hr. radio interview w/ expert)
- Clomid, Medicated IUI, or Straight to IVF? (1 hr. radio interview w/ experts)
More Creating a Family radio interviews with experts, videos, blogs, fact sheets, and Q and A’s with Experts on oral fertility medications can be found at the icons below.
Sources: Creating a Family Radio shows listed below
Image credit: Divine Harvester
Additional Resources
