Clomid Failed, Now What?

Clomid is a prescription drug that your fertility specialist would prescribe to you. It has been found to be very successful for women with ovulation issues. It works by tricking the body's estrogen receptors into thinking that the body's estrogen is low. Then, the body wants to increase the estrogen and does so by inducing ovulation. This allows women to ovulate, and to, hopefully, conceive. It is recommended that women remain on Clomid for only three to six cycles. If, at that time, you haven't conceived, the question, of course, becomes: What now!? There are a number of other fertility treatment options when Clomid fails. Here, we will address one such option: Femara.

The Power of Femara

Femara is a very new drug that was originally developed to help breast cancer patients who were postmenopausal. Since its creation, it has also been found to help with fertility. Its job is to block estrogen production. It has been shown, in a number of small studies, to be as helpful with fertility as Clomid, depending on the particular patient's needs. It's often considered for use after Clomid has failed and it has, at this stage, helped many women to conceive. Femara has less side effects than Clomid, and does not create vaginal dryness or a thinning of the uterine lining as Clomid have been found to do.

What's Wrong with Femara?

There are, however, a number of downsides to Femara that need to be taken into consideration before using this drug for conception. At the present time, Femara is not FDA approved. Femara has only been in use for a few years, and is much less proven than is Clomid. Clomid has been on the market for decades and has proven to be safe for conception. Femara, on the other hand, has shown a surprisingly large chance of having birth defects. While large studies have not yet been done with Femara, small studies have shown that a percentage of the pregnant women who used Femara were carrying children with birth defects. This is certainly something to discuss with your doctor before choosing this conception drug.

Keeping Your Options Open

Clomid is definitely a good choice for women who are having ovulation problems and want to conceive. When this method fails, however, it's important to stay positive and not to give up hope. There are many fertility methods available to women today, and your doctor will discuss all of your options with you. Femara is one such option, and it's important to know about it and to get all the facts. You may, as well, decide to explore IVF, FSH or one of the many other treatment choices available today. Good luck and keep your spirits up on this promising journey!