Clomid,
Fertility Supplements, and Pre-Seed
Clomid is the most prescribed
of all the fertility medications available today. Taken orally, clomid is generally
the first drug doctors turn to when dealing with infertility symptoms in women.
Clomid is advised in cases of infertility or subfertility where ovulation is
infrequent, very irregular, or does not take place at all (anovulation
- or the absence of ovulation / no egg is released). In these symptomatic contexts,
clomid is prescribed to "induce ovulation" for women with ovulatory
disorders like anovulation and PCOS.
How It Works: Clomid functions
by affecting reproductive hormone levels and by sending signals to the brain
to produce more of certain important female hormones. Clomid impacts the "fertility
hormones" like estrogen and luteinizing hormone - the hormones that cause
a woman to ovulate at the midpoint of her cycle. Clomid functions by sending
a signal to the brain that estrogen levels are too low. This "fools"
the brain into releasing more Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone, which facilitates
the production of follicle stimulating hormone & luteinizing hormone. In
this complex interaction, clomid induces ovulation by orchestrating the production
of certain hormones, by increasing key hormone levels, and by raising lh and
fsh levels so that an egg will mature and ovulation will take place. This is
ovulation induction.
With all due respect to
much sage advise Internet TTC community boards, a doctor should be the one to
diagnose infertility issues, not a fellow TTC community/board member. Also,
while the Internet has allowed women to find clomid online without a prescription,
this path to acquiring clomid is not advised. Clomid does have side effects
- from multiple births to hostile CM to hot flashes. In short, see your doctor
or a reproductive endocrinologist if you think you may be facing infertility
symptoms.
Fertility Supplements
and Clomid (Vitex, FertilAid
and Fertility
Blend)
There are a handful of non-prescription
herbal fertility supplements that contain chasteberry (or vitex agnus castus).
We carry the two most reputable brands - created by fertility specialists and
medical professionals. Products like FertilAid and FertilityBlend are validated
by scientific research that shows that fertility can be enhanced through fertility
supplementation. They both contain herbs with a long and safe history of human
use. Both women's formulas also contain an important preconceptional nutrient:
folic acid. However, in the case of clomid and FertilityBlend/FertilAid, the
product makers do state that clomid should not be taken with herbal products
- or at the very least you need to talk to your prescribing doctor before combining
a herbal infertility supplement with clomid or any other fertility med.
Clomid and Pre-Seed
The importance of fertile
cervical mucus in reproduction is recognized by both fertility experts and ob/gyns.
Once ejaculated, sperm need to be able to swim through the cervix to the fallopian
tube where fertilization of the egg typically takes place. However, if cervical mucus is absent
or of a hostile quality (called "hostile cervical mucus"), sperm may
have difficulty making their way to the egg and couples may have a difficult
time conceiving.
During a large part of a
woman’s menstrual cycle, cervical mucus is hostile to sperm - thick and resistant
in order to protect the womb. Around the time of ovulation, however, cervical
mucus becomes fertility friendly and helpful for sperm transport. This fertile
quality cervical mucus helps the sperm to move or swim. The amount of cervical
mucus increases by a factor of 5 and the apparent purpose of fertile cervical
mucus is to provide a protective medium that also facilitates transport, motility,
and sperm movement through the cervix, uterus, and to the egg.
In regards to clomid, clomiphene
citrate can, as a side effect, cause a decrease in the volume of cervical mucus
or produce hostile cervical mucus, according to scientific studies. As Dr. J
Ellington, the creator of Pre-Seed writes, "numerous studies have shown
that clomid can cause a decreases cervical mucus volume.... and [and] quality."
This means that:
- Women taking clomid are
much more likely to have “hostile” cervical mucus - which provide a barrier
to sperm transport and may not provide the protective shield that fertile
cervical mucus provides.
- Women on clomid have
increased vaginal dryness - again, subverting fertility and causing discomfort
during sex.
For women using clomid,
Dr. Ellington suggest using Pre-Seed to compensate for the lack of cervical
mucus volume. As Pre-Seed is designed to safely emulate natural body fluid and
provide a vital medium of transport for the sperm, Pre-Seed is the first fertility
and sperm-friendly moisturizer available (other brands of personal lubricant
can damage sperm or work as a hostile barrier, just like hostile cervical mucus).
Developed with fertility in mind, Pre-Seed is unique - and the ideal antidote
to the problem of dryness.
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