Are you considering fertility treatments? There are countless options for our patients, as there are many possible causes of infertility. Read about different types of fertility drugs that can help you start your family.
Types of Fertility Drugs
Progesterone
Progesterone, a natural hormone in the body, can be made in a lab to help with progesterone deficiency or estrogen dominance. Hormone balance is important in the process of conception. If your doctor prescribes progesterone medication, it will help maintain the lining of the uterus, which helps an embryo attach to and survive in the uterus. It also allows the embryo to survive, fully develop into a fetus, and increase libido around ovulation.
Clomiphene and Letrozole
Clomid and Serophene are brand names of the drug, clomiphene, which selectively blocks estrogen receptors.Femara is the brand name of the drug, letrozole, which blocks the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Your doctor may prescribe one of these medications if you are not ovulating regularly. These fertility medications will modify secretion of hormones that stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs. They are frequently used in combination with fertility treatmentslike artificial insemination. You will start taking a pill during your period, and you can expect to ovulate about seven days after you take your last dose. The medication side effects are tolerable, which include hot flashes, blurred vision, nausea, bloating and headaches.
Injectables
If clomiphene or letrozole do not work on their own, your fertility doctor may use other medications to help them work better. These fertility drugs are not pills taken by the mouth, but shots injected into the body. They can help trigger the ovaries to release eggs or stimulate the growth of eggs in the ovaries.
HCG (brand names Ovidrel, Novarel) – This medication is commonly known as the “trigger shot”, and is taken once the eggs on the ovary have increased in size and are likely to be mature. The trigger shot ensures that the eggs actually ovulate, or are released, from the ovary once they are mature. This is particularly helpful for women who do not ovulate on their own.
Gonadotropins (FSH, brand names Follistim, Gonal-F, Menopur, Bravelle) – These medications mimic the hormone in the body that directly stimulates egg growth on the ovaries. They may improve maturity of the eggs as well as increase the number of mature eggs available.
Fertility Drugs for Men
Certain fertility medications can help correct hormonal imbalances in men or improve sperm motility, quality and quantity. They may also help treat retrograde ejaculation (which causes the sperm to travel in the wrong direction in the reproductive tract) or varicocele (which is a dilated vein in the scrotum). Fertility drugs for men include:
- Human chorionic gonadotropin
- Human menopausal gonadotropin
- Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone
- Anastrozole
- Clomiphene
Consult The Fertility Center of Las Vegas
We love to help our patients feel comfortable at our fertility clinic. When you come in for a consultation, we’ll evaluate the possible cause of your infertility, and help create a treatment plan that works for you. Schedule a consultation to get started with fertility treatments today.
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