Fertility Treatment On Trial: Does Clomid Work?

Clomid is the most prescribed fertility drug on the market. But is Clomid right for everyone?

You might have read on the news that the fertility drug Clomid doesn’t statistically improve the chances of pregnancy in women with infertility. The news reports also stated that the fertility treatment IUI was shown to be ineffective. (IUI is a fertility treatment that involves taking semen, putting it through a specialized washing process, and then injecting the sperm directly into the uterus, via the woman’s cervix.)

If you’re currently taking, or planning to take, Clomid as part of your fertility treatments, these news reports may have you worried. Are you wasting your time and money? Is this really going to work?

Rest assured -- unless you have been diagnosed with "unexplained infertility", this new study doesn’t apply to you.

I saw many news reports leaving out or only briefly mentioning a key component to this study – it looked at couples with unexplained infertility. This is opposed to couples with a diagnosis of female or male factor infertility issues, for which Clomid and IUI are proven as effective treatments.

Unexplained infertility may be one of the most frustrating of fertility diagnoses (if you can call it a diagnosis.) A diagnosis of unexplained infertility is typically given when fertility testing fails to find a problem in the woman or man, and age cannot explain a couple’s infertility problems. (You can find articles on age and fertility here.)

When the problem can’t be found, it’s much more difficult to find a solution. How can you fix what isn't understood?

This is why Clomid and IUI are often the first treatments tried when unexplained infertility is diagnosed. They are easy, low-tech treatments, with fewer side effects and risks than IVF.

Also important to note, the study has been criticized in the fertility community. Some doctors are saying that moving directly to higher power treatments for couples with unexplained infertility isn’t the right way to go. They’ve seen results in their patients with Clomid and IUI, despite the findings. This is a subject that needs further research.

Personally, I hope that this study will push doctors to further investigate what these “unexplained infertility” cases really are. Couples shouldn’t be left without answers, and this study goes to show that trying to find solutions in the dark isn’t the best of options.

You can read more about Clomid and IUI success rates, along with additional information, in these articles:

• Understanding Clomid
• What is IUI?

Have you had success with Clomid or IUI? Share your stories in the comment section below.