The Benefits of Combining Clomid and IUI Infertility Treatment
When a couple is facing infertility, it can feel like a hopeless situation. Infertility treatment can address a number of fertility problems and help patients finally experience the joys of parenthood. One of the many fertility treatment options that may be considered by those who have had trouble conceiving is IUI, or intrauterine insemination. Through this process, more commonly known as artificial insemination, we directly insert sperm into a woman’s uterus. This treatment can prove highly successful for those with a variety of infertility problems. By combining IUI and Clomid for our Houston patients, Dr. Sonja Kristiansen and our team can further increase the rate of successful conception.
What Is Clomid?
Clomid is a fertility drug that is commonly used to stimulate a woman’s ovaries. Clomid is a popular choice for infertility patients both for its effectiveness (Clomid has an 80 percent success rate of ovary stimulation) and its convenience. Patients find Clomid to be more convenient than most other fertility drugs because it can be taken orally, in the form of a pill, rather than by injection.
When Is Clomid Used in the IUI Process?
Clomid is often combined with IUI treatment. Combining Clomid with IUI can be particularly helpful because it increases the number of eggs that are available for fertilization. This, along with timed insemination and the use of sperm washing techniques, can increase a couple’s chance of achieving pregnancy.
Clomid is taken prior to the insemination procedure of IUI treatment. It is used at the start of treatment in order to stimulate ovulation. Clomid is prescribed to be taken orally for five consecutive days during a woman’s menstrual cycle. There are two options for when Clomid can be started. Depending on Dr. Kristiansen’s preference, it will either be started on day 3 or day 5 of a woman’s cycle. No matter which day of the cycle that Clomid is started, it can prove highly effective in increasing the success rate of pregnancy.
Risk and Side Effects of Clomid and IUI
As with any fertility treatment, there are some risks and side effects associated with IUI and Clomid. Similar to most fertility medications, Clomid is known to cause side effects such as mood swings, breast tenderness, nausea, and hot flashes. These side effects are temporary and only last for the duration of time that the Clomid is taken.
When combined, the primary risk of Clomid and IUI is a multiple birth. Because of the effectiveness of these two fertility treatments, there is a chance that a patient may become pregnant with twins, triplets, or another multiple birth. However, these risks remain relatively low, with roughly 10 percent of patients conceiving twins and less than 1 percent conceiving triplets.
Schedule an Appointment
Dr. Sonja Kristiansen is a fertility specialist with many treatment options for patients who are having difficulty conceiving. To learn more about IUI, IVF, or any other of our fertility treatment options, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kristiansen at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you.