This leaflet has been written to provide you with information about your treatment using fertility tablets.
What is Clomifene?
Clomifene is a fertility drug which works by stimulating your ovaries to produce eggs (ovulation).
What are the benefits of taking Clomifene?
The aim of Clomifene is to stimulate ovulation and increase your chance of becoming pregnant.
The tablet works best if your BMI (body mass index) is between 19 and 30, any lower or higher will affect the success rates. If your BMI is higher than 35, you will be advised to lose weight before commencing Clomifene tablets.
What are the risks and possible side effects of taking Clomifene?
- Up to 10% of women who conceive using Clomifene have twins.
- Less than 1 in 1,000 have triplets or quads.
Other possible side effects are:
- Headaches
- Breast tenderness
- Dizziness
- Abdominal pain
- Depression
- Rashes
- Hot flushes
- Ovarian cysts
- Weight gain
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Blurring of vision or yellow colouration of vision
- Vomiting
- Painful periods
If you experience problems with vision, pain or swelling in the abdomen or vomiting you should stop taking the medication and seek medical advice.
What are the alternative treatments to Clomifene?
There a few different treatment options. These include:
- Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery)
- Injections of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- Letrozole tablets.
How do I take Clomifene?
The usual dose of Clomifene is 50mg. It is taken for 5 days per month between day 2 and day 6 of your menstrual cycle. Day 1 is the first day of your period (the day you start to bleed).
You should have regular intercourse – on average two to three times a week throughout your fertility treatment to improve your chances of getting pregnant.
You need to take this tablet at the same time every day for the best result.
How long can I take Clomifene for?
We usually prescribe Clomifene for 6 cycles.
Treatment for more than 6 cycles is not recommended due to the reduced likelihood of it being effective after this time, also the possible increased risks of thinning to the endometrial (womb) lining and ovarian cancer.
What if my menstrual cycle is irregular?
If your cycle has been irregular in the past and you are not sure when your next period is due, you may be given progestogen (hormone produced by the ovary during the menstrual cycle) tablets to “bring on” a period.
Taking the progestogen tablets will cause you to have a “withdrawal” bleed like a period. The first day of this bleed can then be counted as day 1 of your cycle.
How will I know if the Clomifene is working?
You may be asked to have a blood test during the menstrual cycle in which you are taking Clomifene.
We usually take this blood sample on day 21 of your menstrual cycle and measure levels of the female hormone called progesterone. A level of 14 nmol/l indicates you have ovulated.
If the level is lower than 14nmol/l you may not have ovulated and we may increase your dose.
Bassetlaw patients can call the gynaecology secretaries on 01909 572237 for your blood results.
Doncaster patients can call gynaecology clinic 01302 648054 – you may need to leave an answerphone message and the nurse will contact you back.
What if I do not have a period after taking Clomifene?
If your period is more than 1 week late you should do a pregnancy test.
If you are not pregnant, it is likely that you did not ovulate in this cycle, and we may need to increase your dose of Clomifene with further monitoring by blood tests.
Who can I contact if I have any questions?
If you have any concerns or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Gynaecology Outpatient Department at Bassetlaw Hospital on 01909 572214 or Doncaster Royal Infirmary on 01302 642808.
Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)
The team are available to help with any concerns, complaints or questions you may have about your experience at the Trust. Their office is in the Main Foyer (Gate 4) of Doncaster Royal Infirmary. Contact can be made either in person, by telephone or email.
The contact details are:
Telephone: 01302 642764 or 0800 028 8059
Email: dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net
Content out of date? Information wrong or not clear enough? Report this page.