Fertility drugs are the most common treatment for women who are unable to become pregnant. Infertility is stressful for women, and many factors influence it. Undergoing treatment with fertility drugs increases a woman's chance of getting pregnant, in some cases. Each type of drug reacts differently in the body and is prescribed based on a diagnosis by a specialist.
Function
Fertility drugs are medication prescribed by a physician specializing in infertility. The drugs are used as treatment for women with ovulation problems, including the inability to ovulate. Fertility medications alter hormone levels in the body to induce ovulation. In some cases, fertility pills is not a successful treatment and additional treatment with fertility injections may be prescribed.
Clomiphene Pills
Clomiphene is sold under the brand name Clomid and Serophene. Clomid is one of the most used fertility drugs and commonly used as the first option. The drug is reasonably priced and stimulates ovulation approximately 80 percent of the time. Clomid has a low risk of side effects and only a 10 percent possibility of conceiving multiples.
Bromocriptine Pills
Bromocriptine is sold under the brand name Parlodel and is an oral or vaginal pill given to women who experience no ovulation due to a pituitary adenoma. The result of the adenoma is an increase in prolactin, which reduces estrogen in the body. This drug will reduce prolactin levels; however, it could take up to two months to see a change. Parlodel can be taken for several years and has a low occurrence of multiple births.
Gonadotropin Injections
Gonadotropin drugs are given as a series of shots. This drug is prescribed after a treatment of Clomid has proven unsuccessful or for certain fertility problems that will not respond to other drugs. This treatment is also given to collect eggs in women undergoing an in vitro fertilization procedure. The gonadotropin treatment consists of being injected with two types of drugs. The first treatment is human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). There are several brand names, and the exact drug used is determined by a physician based on a diagnosis. Gonadotropin treatment has a lower success rate, 20 to 60 percent, due to other factors that are causing infertility problems.
Cost
Fertility treatments may not be covered through all health insurance plans. Clomid is the lowest cost treatment and is affordable for most people without insurance coverage. The average cost for Clomid is $50 for one cycle of treatments. Parlodel is slightly higher at an average cost of $75-$112 per treatment cycle. Gonadotropin treatment is the highest cost fertility treatment at an average cost of $2,000-$5,000 per cycle. This does not include the costs for an in vitro fertilization procedure. Full payment for all treatments is required up front if insurance does not cover the cost.
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