Clomifene citrate (Clomid) Information for you Your doctor has prescribed Clomifene You should only take Clomid when you Citrate (Clomid). This medicine increases the are having a period and should not take number of eggs released from the ovaries it if there is any chance that you could be (ovulation). Clomid works by telling the pregnant. body that it is not producing high enough If you are taking more than one tablet, you levels of the hormones needed for ovulation. should take all the tablets at the same time Different people will need different doses of the day. It does not matter whether this is of the medicine, and it can take up to two in the evening or the morning. months for your doctor to find the correct For follow-on doses, if your period comes dose for you. Usually, your doctor will by day 35 of your cycle, start taking Clomid prescribe the lowest possible dose as a again from day two. If you have not had starting point, but may change the dose a period by day 35, you should do a later. pregnancy test. If the test is negative, your family doctor (GP) or gynaecologist may What should I do? give you a short course of Provera to make You and your doctor in the clinic will have you have a period. discussed using Clomid. Your family doctor (GP) can then prescribe Clomid. Is Clomid safe and are there any side effects? How should I take Clomid? Clomid is generally a very safe and effective You should take Clomid for five days, drug. However, there is around a ten per starting on day two of your menstrual cent risk of multiple pregnancy - this usually cycle, through to day six. Day one of your means twins, but rarely can mean triplets or menstrual cycle is the first day of your more. We often perform ultrasound scans to period. look at the number of follicles (or small cysts If you are not sure if it is the first day of your that develop containing eggs) in order to period, wait until you are certain about the minimise the risk of a multiple pregnancy. first day of the proper bleed. Side effects can include headaches, nausea, If you are not having periods you should hot flushes, breast tenderness and fluid do a pregnancy test. If the test confirms retention. Most women tolerate the drug you are not pregnant, your doctor will give well and side effects are rarely serious. If you you a short course of another hormone develop any blurring of vision or double preparation to make you have a period - vision you should stop taking Clomid Provera 10 mg twice a day for five days. immediately. Follow us on Twitter @NHSaaa Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nhsaaa Visit our website: www.nhsaaa.net All our publications are available in other formats All of our publications are available in different How long should I take Clomid? languages, larger print, braille (English only), audio tape or another format of your choice. Once you are ovulating and having regular periods when taking Clomid, your best chance of a pregnancy is within the first six months. If you are not pregnant after six months of therapy, it is likely that your doctor will suggest an alternative therapy. Occasionally we do advise that Clomid can be taken for more than six months, but rarely for more than nine months and never for more than 12 months. A study in the United States has suggested that prolonged use of Clomid may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. In that study the risks appeared to increase after Tha gach sgrìobhainn againn rim faotainn ann an more than 12 months of usage. diofar chànanan, clò nas motha, Braille (Beurla a-mhàin), teip claistinn no riochd eile a tha sibh airson a thaghadh. Further information If you have any questions or concerns about your treatment at any time, please contact either your family doctor (GP) or your fertility clinic. You can also find information on the following websites: • https://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/ fertility • http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com • http://www.hfea.gov.uk/fertility.html 0800 169 1441 Tell us what you think... If you would like to comment on any issues raised by this document, please complete this form and return it to: Communications Department, 28 Lister Street, University Hospital Crosshouse, Crosshouse KA2 0BB. You can also email us at: [email protected] or [email protected]. If you provide your contact details, we will acknowledge your comments and pass them to the appropriate departments for a response. Name ______________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Comment ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Last reviewed: July 2019 Leaflet reference: AMU11-007-GD PIL code: PIL16-0166.