Clomiphene
Uses, side effects, interactions and warnings
Clomiphene is a prescription tablet best known for helping women ovulate. Specialists also use it off-label in some men with low testosterone or low sperm count, because it boosts the body’s own hormone production without lowering fertility. Results take about three months to show in a semen test.
What is clomiphene used for?
- Ovulation induction in women
- Low sperm count or low testosterone in men (off-label, specialist care)
How does clomiphene work?
Clomiphene blocks oestrogen signals in the brain. The brain responds by releasing more of the hormones (LH and FSH) that tell the ovaries to release an egg, or the testes to make testosterone and sperm.
How is clomiphene taken?
Tablets are 25 mg and 50 mg. In women it is usually taken for 5 days early in the cycle; in men a lower dose may be taken daily or on alternate days. Your doctor will decide the plan and monitor you with scans or blood tests.
What are the side effects of clomiphene?
- Hot flushes
- Mood swings
- Breast tenderness
- Bloating
- Headache
- Blurred vision or seeing spots
- Severe pelvic or abdominal pain (women)
- Sudden weight gain or breathlessness
- Signs of a blood clot
Which medicines interact with clomiphene?
Who should be careful with clomiphene?
Stop and see your doctor if you have visual changes. Tell your doctor about liver disease, unexplained vaginal bleeding, ovarian cysts or a hormone-sensitive tumour. In women, it increases the chance of twins.
Frequently asked questions
Is clomiphene approved for men?
Not officially. It is used off-label by fertility specialists after tests show it is likely to help.
How long until clomiphene improves sperm count?
Sperm take about 3 months to develop, so a repeat semen analysis is usually done after 3 months.
Does clomiphene cause twins?
In women, about 5 to 10 in 100 pregnancies on clomiphene are twins.
This information does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. SexologistIndia.com does not sell medicines.