Wanting to know how much clomiphene should be taken on a cycle is another way of wanting to know more about the relationship between the taking of Clomiphene and the menstrual cycle. A clomiphene 50 mg tablet is usually taken on day 3 to day 7 of the menstrual cycle. When this is done, 80 % of women taking the tablet will ovulate successfully and between 10 to 12 percent will conceive per menstrual cycle.
Infertility and pregnancy rates using clomiphene
The ultimate goal of a treatment with clomiphene is that of inducing ovulation by the taking of a 50 mg dose of the drug each day on the 3rd day to the 7th day of the menstrual cycle.
Studies have shown that when this treatment regimen is used a total of 80% of women who use the drug treatment successfully ovulate and between 10 to 12 percent manage to conceive during that menstrual cycle.
Some irregularities in using clomiphene
Generally speaking, women have a considerable tolerance level to clomiphene but in some cases, use of the drug can lessen the amount of mucus in a woman’s cervix which can lead to endometrial effects and interfere with the success rate.
By this is meant that due to the decrease of mucus inside a woman’s cervix, the male sperm which swims amidst the mucus to fertilize the egg in the womb is unable to do so and need assistance in getting to the egg.
This is usually done by enabling the sperm to bypass the cervix swim but to do so by increasing the drug dose is not a wise thing to do. No evidence supports the idea that an increase in the drug dose can increase the pregnancy rate in women. As a matter of fact, increasing the dose would only worsen the side effects.
Hidden infertility factors
There may also be hidden factors in women which can impede the success of clomiphene for inducing ovulation. One study showed that 87 percent of women who successfully ovulated from the treatment failed to actually conceive after being treated.
Some had pelvic lesions, others tubal disease, endometriosis, and even male infertility or a combination of all these factors. It would be wise to conduct a pre-clomiphene treatment with a hysterosalpingogram test (HSG), semen analysis and ultrasound test to pinpoint the cause of infertility.
It’s also important to take cognizance of a woman’s age which plays an important part in the outcomes of pregnancy rates regardless of the diagnosis.
If the use of clomiphene does not succeed in inducing pregnancy, your doctor may recommend the use of the drug treatment in combination with an intrauterine insemination (IUI) to help enhance the pregnancy result.
Should you persist with clomiphene or move forward?
When people are faced with pregnancy failures, doubt seeps in and other treatment methods come to mind. How many more menstrual cycles before pregnancy happens, is the usual question by patients.
You need to keep in mind that there are several factors that influence the answer to that question before you can move on to the next stage which is under the care of a reproductive endocrinologist.
The first of these constraints refers to patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), anovulation, or irregular periods who take clomiphene without ultrasound monitoring. Of these women:
- those of 38 years of age should undergo treatment for no more than six cycles.
- those of 38 years and over should undergo treatment for no more than three cycles.
Patients who take clomiphene with ultrasound monitoring. Of these women
- those under 37 years of age should undergo treatment for no more than four cycles.
- those of 37 years of age and over should immediately move on to a more advanced treatment.
It should be noted that the treatment plan for each and every patient is a unique one and as expected the type of treatment needs to be based on the age, the medical history of the patient and the diagnosis which has been made on the patient.
A progressive approach is also taken of the treatment meaning that the medication will start from the simplest form, the most affordable medication option to the patient and then to move up gradually to the more advanced treatments only if it’s needed.
It stands to reason then, that over half of all the treatment cycles applied fall under the low tech category.
Does the treatment have an emotional side to it?
It’s not difficult to understand that a treatment of this nature, especially one that has such a live connection with the bringing forth of new life into the world would have great psychological effect.
This effect falls directly not only on the physicians administering the drug treatment but more so on the
couple connected with the treatment, especially the woman who has to bear the brunt of the pain from the fertilization of the egg to the birth of the child, a nine month long ordeal on the physical as well as the mind.
When you are confronted with the option of moving on to a more advanced type of treatment, its essential that you recall and ponder the number of menstrual cycles you’ve already attempted and experienced.
You should also keep in mind your age and the numerous guidelines your doctor has given you which have all been based on decisions that have been made from hard core data.
The main responsibility of your physician is to consider and analyze the facts and figures for each of the patients treated. Your role in the treatment process is to be able to act on what you think is the right thing to do for yourself in the light of the factual findings.
The task of evaluating the medical recommendations given to patients is a very heavy burden in itself not to mention the emotional and financial strain that can befall an expectant couple.
The impact of even the idea of being infertile is another burden that the couple also has to bear. The hard decision-making needed for going ahead with the drug treatment is another hurdle to clear and of course the move to a new level of treatment is yet another psychological burden.
Conclusion
Being involved in drug medication as a patient is not as simple as we might think. There are numerous issues to think about because when natural processes of giving birth fail, there’s a real need to look at other options. These options are available in various forms and one of them is resorting to taking clomiphene along with all its involvement and concerns that always impact the medical experts and the patients themselves.