Treatment
for Infertility using Drugs and Its Risks
No woman wants to experience infertility, especially
when a kid is very much expected. Treatment
for infertility has gone through various developments to help women finding
the best way to cure infertility. They include using certain drugs. Since most
infertility cases that happen to women are attributable to ovulation problem,
drugs are usually used as the first solutions to handle this problem. This treatment
for infertility also mostly works; about 80% of infertility cases caused by
ovulation problems can be cured using drugs.
Fertility drugs are often consumed by women
than they are by men, because these drugs work by inducing healthy ovulation,
especially if the women experience multiple miscarriages, which can affect
their fertility and ovulation process. In addition, if the ones that experience
the fertility problems are males, they need healthy eggs from women to be used
in a treatment called IVF. Therefore, their mates may be asked to consume
fertility drugs to supply healthy eggs. However, generally, treatment for infertility using drugs is
aimed for women.
Drugs
for Treatment for Infertility
Many drugs are commonly prescribed to treat
infertility case in women caused by ovulation problems. These drugs work
differently and they may have their own side effects, but these drugs have been
proven effective as treatment for infertility. Here are some common drugs to
treat infertility on women:
· Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate); this is the most
common drug usually prescribed to treat infertility in women, and it works by
inducing healthy ovulation. Clomid has become generic name for many women when
it comes to infertility cure, and while it must be prescribed by doctor, many
women are not strangers with clomid. As a common treatment for infertility,
clomid is considered as the drug with lowest level of side effects occurrences.
· Gonal F and Follistim; these two drugs are
considered new, since they were created using DNA technology so they can mimic
FSH hormone, which is naturally occurred hormone in the body that tells the egg
cell to mature, ready for ovulation. This treatment for infertility is used by
injection, and the woman can do it herself at home before she is ready to have
sex with her male partner.
· Fertinex and Bravelle; fertinex and Bravelle
are similar drugs that mimic FSH hormone and are also taken by injection, but
they are much cheaper treatment for infertility compared to Follistim and Gonal
F because they are extracted from post menopausal women urine, not made in the
lab. The side effects are usually lighter than Gonal F.
· Letrozole, which is also known with popular
brand name Femera, works as effective as Clomid but with more expensive price
and less frequent usage or prescription by doctors. This is because Letrozole
is mostly used as breast cancer treatment for postmenopausal women. However,
this is also a good treatment for infertility as long as the women stop the
consumption immediately when they got pregnant.
· GnRH Antagonist Group consists of drugs that
work in the reverse way of previously mentioned drugs; they work against the
release of FSH hormone and, in the end, suppress ovulation process. This type
of treatment for infertility is used if you and your mate both have infertility
treatment, in which the male partner may also undergo IVF treatment. Basically,
the doctor balances fertility therapy and treatment between these antagonist
drugs and other fertility drugs.
These drugs are usually working, so if you
are diagnosed with infertility because of ovulation problem, doctors will
prescribe one of these drugs as a treatment for infertility.
Risks
of Drugs for Treatment for Infertility
Just like other drugs, drugs to treat
infertility also have their own side effects. Therefore, you
must remember to
consult with the doctor about the possible side effects. For example, since treatment
for infertility includes ovulation induction and FSH stimulation, you may get
multiple pregnancies in which you can be pregnant with twins or triplets (which
can disturb your original plan to have only one kid).
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is a rare
but dangerous side effect that can happen from the using of drugs as treatment
for infertility. Since the drugs stimulate the ovaries, they can lead to ovary
engorgement and fluid excess, which can lead to complication that can be life
threatening. Therefore, make sure the using of drugs as treatment for
infertility is well controlled. Using drugs may not be the ultimate solution
for infertility, but drugs have been proven quit effective as treatment for
infertility if they are taken with caution and consumed based on proper
diagnosis.