Saturday, July 14, 2012

An Introduction to Fertility Drugs


Fertility drugs can play a vital role in whether or not you become pregnant. Different drugs stimulate different parts of the body and with the proper usage these drugs can mean the difference between a couple with a child and couple without one. But before you even think about using any type of fertility drugs it is imperative that you know all there is to know about the drugs.
Below we will briefly analyze and describe the major facets of different fertility drugs and how they may or may not help you.


Uses For Fertility Drugs



Fertility drugs can be used for a number of different reasons and in a number of different fashions. Typically, when dealing with fertility issues, a couple will be subjected to fertility drugs as a first option in hoping that the drugs alone will solve any and all fertility problems that exist. If the drugs themselves do not do the trick, your doctor will likely suggest a treatment that will more aggressively and effectively handle whatever fertility problem you are dealing with.

The fact of the matter is that with most treatments there are fertility drugs that can help the treatment succeed. So while you may be taking fertility drugs by themselves, they are typically more effective when used in conjunction with a treatment.

A common misconception is that fertility drugs are only able to be utilized by women, but the reality is that there are plenty of drugs out there for men too. Finding the fertility drugs that are going to be most beneficial to you is the hardest part about making use of fertility drugs.


Clomiphene



The first fertility drug worth mentioning goes by the name of Clomiphene. This drug is used in women who are having a difficult time ovulating. Clomiphene is designed to release hormones into the body of a female that will make the ovulation process happen, or make it happen successfully.

When being administered Clomiphene it is important to note that this isn’t a drug that you use only once or twice in order for it to work. Rather, Clomiphene is a fertility drug that will be prescribed for periods ranging from just a couple months all the way up to half of a year. During that time you will be taking your medication at least 5 times a week in order to see the best results from your usage of Clomiphene.

The glory of Clomiphene is that even if the drug does not work or yield any positive results on the first go around, it can be used multiple times without any issues. Women who are not ovulating are the first to be given Clomiphene because the hormones in the drug force your body to ovulate. Clomiphene forces ovulation about 3/4s of the time when it is used in women who are otherwise unable to ovulate.
Clomid and Serophene are two brand name versions of the generic Clomiphene.


FSH-Follicle Stimulating Hormone



Follicle stimulating hormones are a type of fertility drug that is most commonly administered by injection. The reason that is mentioned first is because if you have a fear of needles FSH is not going to be the drug for you.
FSH injections provide the body with a hormone that is supposed to be produced in the pituitary gland. If the pituitary gland is not producing enough of this hormone, any chances of a successful pregnancy happen are significantly hindered. For women, the use of FSH can mean the difference between eggs that will be able to facilitate a pregnancy and eggs that are more or less useless.
FSH is used in men to help raise their sperm count. Other than that, most couples who receive IVF treatment may also be given a dosage or dosages of FSH in order to improve the chances of your treatment being successful.
Some name brand types of FSH include Bravelle, Follistim, and Gonal-F.


Gonadotropin



Gonadotropin is issued through a series of injections in order to help males produce and acceptable amount of sperm and to help females produce a healthy quantity of healthy eggs.
When a woman is given gonadotropin, the main goal is to improve the levels of estrogen that she has in her body. If Clomiphene proves to be ineffective for a female patient, then Gonadotropin is the most commonly accepted drug to turn to. Gonadotropin is also used in women when they are about to undergo an IUI procedure.

Unlike Clomiphene, Gonadotropin is able to be used by both men and women, giving it a level of versatility that most other drugs simply cannot offer. There are different kinds of Gonadotropin each used for their own specific purpose. For example, Human Menopausal Gonadotropin is used to help women who barely ovulate or don’t ovulate at all. This type of injected drug goes straight to the ovaries and gives the body no choice but to ovulate in most cases. Another type of Gonadotropin that exists goes by the name of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and is used to help women produce healthy eggs and to help men produce a healthy supply of sperm.

Some name brand versions of Gonadotropin include Novarel, Pregnyl, Profasl, Menopur, and Menogon. These are just a few of the many brand names that exist.

Buying Fertility Drugs



Fertility drugs are useful for infertile couples of all walks of life. Whether you are using fertility drugs as a means of supplementing your fertility treatment or are just using them to improve your overall fertility, they have innumerable benefits.

When looking to purchase fertility drugs there are a few different ways you can do this. The first and most obvious choice would be to visit your local fertility clinic and have a doctor examine you. Once he or she assesses your fertility, they will be able to provide you with information regarding what type of fertility drug will help you best. On the other hand, you can bypass seeing a doctor and go straight to online pharmacies that sell these and other drugs. While online pharmacies can be convenient, it is always suggested that you consult your local fertility clinic before making fertility drug purchases on your own.
The world of fertility drugs is a confusing one, but with a little bit of research you will be able to make informed decisions about what type of drugs are best for you in no time at all.