Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. If you are to begin on Day 5, count the first day of your menstrual period as Day 1. Beginning on Day 5, take the correct dose every day for as many days as your doctor ordered. To help you to remember to take your dose of medicine, take it at the same time every day.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For treating infertility:
- Adults—50 milligrams (mg) a day for five days of a menstrual cycle. The treatment is usually started on the fifth day of your menstrual period. If you do not have menstrual cycles, you can begin taking your medicine at any time. If you do not become pregnant after the first course, your doctor may increase your dose a little at a time up to 250 mg a day. Your treatment may be repeated until you do become pregnant or for up to four treatment cycles.
- For treating infertility:
Missed Dose
Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.
Storage
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2022
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My cycles has been around 40-50ish days. I was excited to start clomid bc I figured even if I wasn't pregnant at least my period would come on time bc I would finally ovulate. Well my first round of clomid resulted in an ultrasound where I was told 50 mg didn't work and I should wait two weeks, take a pregnancy test and if negative go ahead and start my next round of clomid even if my period didn't come. I did opk's even though I was told clomid didn't work and 5 days later then expected cd19 I got a positive opk. This was 4 days before I was supposed to start my next round of clomid but obviously if I ovulated it would be possible I would be in the early early pregnancy stage when they told me to start the rx but it would be too early to get a positive pregnancy test. So I didn't start the clomid. It has been 16 days since my positive opk but no period and negative pregnancy test. Do u think I'm safe to start my next round of clomid. Or would you all wait until a period shows up.
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For over 50 years, clomiphene citrate (also known as clomiphene, Clomid, or Serophene) has been used to help treat infertility. Clomid is an oral medication prescribed for infertility, but unlike more advanced fertility technologies, pregnancy rates with Clomid have not changed over time.
Many people are aware of Clomid as a low-tech, lower-cost option than in vitro fertilization (IVF) and are happy to learn they can try this type of treatment with their existing OB/GYN or primary care physician. While many women are able to conceive with Clomid, for those who don’t, the decision about when is the appropriate time to move on to a different treatment can be unclear.
When is Clomid used for infertility?
Clomid is most successful as the first line of treatment for women who experience irregular or absent menstrual cycles. Clomid can also be used for women who ovulate normally, but who have otherwise unexplained infertility. Clomid treatment generally results in a 10-12 percent pregnancy rate per cycle, even when combined with intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Women who do not ovulate due to low body weight or hypothalamic amenorrhea (when menstruation stops for several months) rarely respond to Clomid.
Clomid pregnancy rates
The goal of treatment with Clomid is to normalize or induce ovulation by taking a 50 mg dose per day on days 3 through 7 of the menstrual cycle. Eighty percent of women taking Clomid will successfully ovulate and 10 to 12 percent will conceive per cycle.
Though Clomid is generally well tolerated by most people, in some cases it can lead to changes in a woman’s cervical mucus and have endometrial effects that can negatively impact success rates. There is no evidence that shows increasing the dosage of Clomid will result in an increase in pregnancy rates. Increased dosages of Clomid may actually worsen the side effects.
Another factor that limits the success of Clomid is that many people have other unknown infertility factors. A previous study showed that 87 percent of women who ovulated but failed to conceive with Clomid had an additional cause of infertility such as Adhesions, tubal disease, endometriosis, male factor infertility, or a combination of these factors. Diagnostic testing such as a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), semen analysis, and ultrasound should be performed prior to Clomid treatment to rule out other fertility factors.
It’s important to note that a woman’s age plays a major role in pregnancy rate outcomes regardless of the diagnosis.
Your physician may recommend you combine Clomid with intrauterine insemination (IUI) if Clomid alone does not result in a pregnancy.
How many cycles of Clomid should you try before moving on?
There are several factors that may influence how many cycles of Clomid you should attempt before moving on to a more advanced line of treatment under the care of a reproductive endocrinologist.
Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), anovulation, or irregular periods taking Clomid without ultrasound monitoring:
- Women under 38 should attempt no more than six cycles.
- Women 38 and over should attempt no more than three cycles
Patients taking Clomid with ultrasound monitoring:
- Women under 37 should attempt no more than three to four cycles.
- Women 37 or older should move on to more advanced treatment immediately.
Every patient’s treatment plan is unique and the type of treatment is based on the age, diagnosis, and medical history of the patient. We take a stepped-approach to treatment, starting with the simplest, most affordable treatment options first and move up to more advanced treatments only if needed. More than half of all treatment cycles we do are considered low tech.
The emotional aspect of treatment
It’s important to consider the psychological toll that multiple unsuccessful treatments can have on couples.
When thinking about moving on to another form of treatment, it is important to consider how many cycles you have attempted, your age, and the guidance from your physician based on data-driven decisions. While we consider the facts and statistics based on each patient’s situation, we encourage our patients to do what feels right for them.
In addition to evaluating the medical recommendations, we understand the emotional and financial aspects of infertility can weigh heavily on the decision to begin treatment or move to a new level of care. At Shady Grove Fertility, we offer a variety of clinical, financial, and emotional resources to help you find the answers and support you need to take the next step towards building a family.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2016 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness as of February 2021.
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