Clomid Side Effects

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What is Clomid?

Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is one of the most commonly used medications during fertility treatment. Clomid is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM); it inhibits the activity of estrogen by competitively binding to estrogen receptors. By binding and blocking estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus, Clomid causes the brain to release more stimulating hormone to the ovaries, thereby increasing the number of growing follicles and the chance for successful ovulation and fertilization with each cycle.

What are the Side Effects of Clomid?

As with most medications, patients taking Clomid may experience some common side effects. These include:

  • Hot flashes.
  • Mood swings.
  • Breast discomfort or tenderness.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Bloating.
  • Headaches.

Other side effects include:

  • Heavier menses or irregular menstrual bleeding.
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness.
  • Trouble sleeping.

Side effects do not appear to be dose-related, as patients may experience these common side effects even on the lowest dose of the medication. Most people have either no side effects or mild symptoms only.

More moderate side effects are rare and may occur during or shortly after Clomid therapy. These may include:

  • Blurry vision or double vision.
  • Ovarian enlargement may also occur, which can present with significant abdominal pain or pelvic pain, weight gain, or significant bloating

If you experience any of these side effects, check with your doctor as soon as possible.

Use of Clomid increases your chances of having a multiple pregnancy by approximately 5%. However, the majority of pregnancies achieved after a Clomid cycle are singleton pregnancies.

Dr. Jenna Friedenthal is a Fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York.  Dr. Friedenthal completed her undergraduate education at Yale University. She went on to complete her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine with Distinction in Research. While in medical school, she received the Senior Research Fellowship award for her research accomplishments in reproductive endocrinology and immunology. Dr. Friedenthal then completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York University. During her residency training, Dr. Friedenthal received the Mortimer Levitz Best Basic Science Award for her research on pre-implantation genetic testing.