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Stumble It!The Real Story on Clomid from Dr. Fertility
Dear Dr. Fertility,
My husband and I are struggling getting pregnant with number two. We tried for about eight months, and then after that, I bought the Clearblue digital fertility monitor and have been using that for the past three months without success. I have been having a lot of breakthrough bleeding and cervical issues. At this point, I don’t think that my cycle and hormones can achieve a pregnancy without assistance.
My OB has recommended Clomid. What’s the pregnancy success rate using Clomid? How often is the outcome was twins or multiples? How many tries does it usually take for Clomid to be successful? What are the side effects?
--A Modern Mom reader
Dear Modern Mom reader,
The story on clomid is easy to understand. The drug essentially increases the release of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) from the brain. This leads to the stimulation of the follicles and ovaries and, thus, may lead to one to multiple eggs being ovulated. Technically, it is an estrogen receptor modulator and tricks the brain into thinking that it needs to produce more FSH. This can lead to menopausal-like symptoms (i.e. hot flashes, headaches and irritability). I think that clomid a great drug for women who do not ovulate or do not have regular menstrual cycles.
My biggest problem with clomid is that many primary care doctors and gynecologists simply give it out without appropriately evaluating their patients (i.e. checking the health of the women’s eggs and the husbands sperm). This can be dangerous in that it delays appropriate treatment and wastes couple’s time and money. For young healthy women who are anovulatory, i.e. do not ovulate, may increase fertility rates to those of ovulatory women.
What’s more, you should know that taking clomid may increase the risk of multiples from about 1% to 2% that occurs naturally, to about 10%.
Before taking clomid, I would recommend that you see a fertility specialist and get worked up appropriately before starting to simply take medications.
Judging from the information you provide in your question, I have concerns that you are either experiencing problems secondary to a hormonal imbalance or uterine fibroids (which would cause the problem with breakthrough bleeding). In addition, you need some hormonal tests to check the health of your eggs, an evaluation of the uterus, and a semen analysis. Only once this is down should a treatment plan be made.
Best wishes,
Bradford Kolb, MD
Dr. Bradford Kolb, aka Dr. Fertility, is an infertility specialist and a managing partner of the Huntington Reproductive Center, in Pasadena, CA. Dr. Kolb is internationally known for his expertise in egg donation, oocyte cyroperservation and the treatment of couples who have failed traditional therapy in other centers. He appears on national television and radio shows regularly, addressing women’s reproductive issues. For more on Dr. Kolb, please go to his website: http://www.havingbabies.com
Have a question for Dr. Fertility? Email him at
Votes: 24
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Hi there,
Four years ago, after about a year unsuccessful trying to get pregnant, my OB prescribed Clomid. I didn’t know at the time that I should’ve researched this better, as I trusted my OB. Luckily, no side effects. It kinda helped regulate my cycles, but I was still not getting pregnant. After about 4 cycles, he recommended I see a fertility specialist. She diagnosed me with PCOS and my husband was diagnosed with a sperm problem (most of the sperm were not “normal”, I forgot the name for it). She put me on metformin and 9 months later I was pregnant. It helped that we quit smoking, too.
Bottom line - go see a specialist. That’s what they’re for. Best of luck!!!
Please also raise the question of what effect Clomid may have on your baby. Years ago, there were reports of female adults having some problems that “may” have been associated with their mother’s use of clomid as a fertility drug. My doctors have tried to convince me that the rumors were false, but I still worry that my 22 year old daughter may be facing problems in the future.
I have a 2 year old and am 40 years young. My husband and I tried for 15 months, and finally got pregnant! I agree with the doc to have all the fertility work up done. Your OB/GYN may be able to do all that-Day 3 FSH, LH and estriodol levels, etc. to rule out anything else that may be wrong. We had that done and everything checked out fine. My doctor started me on 3 rounds of Clomid to no avail, then started me with Letrozole (Femara). He said it has fewer side effects, is out of your body faster, and has a lower chance of multiples. I also followed a specific regime-Letrozole on days 3-7, estriodol (to build up the endometrium) on days 8-12, and progesterone gel on days 17-28, doing a HPT after that. It took 6 rounds, but it worked. As an older mom, the main problem is just ovulating good eggs. Don’t give up! There is still hope, and if I can have a healthy pregnancy at 40, anyone can!!!
I had the complete workup , dye thru my tubes, blood work, and the embarrasing;have sex then rush to the doctor without washing up to make sure my body wasnt getting rid of the foreign objects,(not to mention my husband as well, poor thing he had to make his donation at the clinic, it was to far for the sperm to survive the 1 hr trip). Most insurance companies want the man checked out first cause it cheaper,(not so many parts to check) We found out I wasnt ovulating, Anyway I took Clomid for 6 months (insurance didnt cover it,cause its not medically necessary to reproduce)and got pregnant with my now 7 yr old son . I had one period and then got pregnant with my now 6 yr old daughter. After she was born I had my tubes tied, afterall I was 33. Best of luck to you and dont give up, I never thought I would get pregnant
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Hi there -
I went through the whole fertility struggle about 8 years ago that began with Clomid and ended with 3 IVF’s. (Ultimately I adopted 2 adorable children and am extremely happy). I urge you to listen to Dr. Kolbs advice and be worked up by a specialist. Even the best OB does not have the most up to date information on fertility treatments. A Reproductive Endocrinologist is the best doctor to determine what is causing your struggle to conceive. While Clomid can be effective, it had such bad side effects with me that I begged to be taken off it and put on other types of treatment.
Best of luck to you & your husband!