When you are diagnosed with infertility, your doctor will prescribe you medications to help you conceive. Known as fertility drugs, they release the necessary hormones. Even if you are someone who is already undergoing a treatment for infertility, such as IVF, drugs play a very important role in your treatment. At Apollo Fertility, we prescribe drugs on the basis of the patients medical history, the problem, age, etc. Patient safety is always a priority.
The most commonly prescribed drugs are;
Clomiphene
Used for more than 40 years, this drug is prescribed when the ovulation is not normal. Known as the estrogen-blocking drugs, they make sure that the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands (located in the brain) release GnRH, LH, and FSH hormones as it can push your ovaries into making eggs. It is said to be a very successful drug as almost 60% to 80% of women are prescribed this drug and more than half of them are able to conceive because of the same.
Side-effects: The side-effects of this medication are not severe. One might experience bloating, nausea, blurred vision, hot flashes, etc. In some cases, this drug is able to induce alterations in the cervical muscles, preventing the sperm from entering the uterus. It can also increase your chances of multiple births.
Injected Hormones
When the above-prescribed drug doesnt work too well on its own, your doctor might recommend hormone injections to regulate the ovulation. They are;
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG):
This drug is used with other medicines to make sure that the ovaries release the egg.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH):
This can aid the growth of eggs present in the ovaries.
Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG) :
This drug is a combination of FSH and LH hormone.
These drugs are injected and not available in the form of pills. The dosage depends on the patient and your fertility specialist will usually walk you through the pros and cons. They have a high rate of success, and almost 50% women injected with these drugs are able to become pregnant.
Side-effects: Most commonly, the side effects of this drug are very mild. They include; tenderness, infections, blood blisters, swelling, and bruising. But, it can also cause Ovarian Hyperstimulation, causing the ovaries to grow and become tender. It can also cause multiple births.
Other drugs
Aspirin :
Some studies show that this drug can decrease ones chances of experiencing a miscarriage. Therefore, you can talk to your doctor to make sure if it holds true and if you can use it. However, dont consume any unprescribed drug. It can interfere with your treatment and can lead to complications.
Ganirelix Acetate :
This drug is injected to stop early ovulation while undergoing fertility treatments. The side-effects of this drug include; stomach ache, headache and sometimes even the loss of pregnancy.
