once your doctor has ruled out other medical conditions he or she may prescribe fertility drugs to stimulate your ovulation. the drug contained in both clomid and serophene (clomiphene) is often a first choice because it's effective and has been prescribed to women for decades. unlike many infertility drugs it also has the advantage of being taken orally instead of by injection. it is used to induce ovulation and to correct irregular ovulation by increasing egg production by the ovaries. clomiphene induces ovulation in most women with anovulation. up to 10% of women who use clomiphene for infertility will have a multiple gestation pregnancy -- usually twins. (in comparison just 1% of the general population of women delivers twins. ) the typical starting dosage of clomphene is 50 milligrams per day for five days beginning on the third fourth or fifth day after your period begins. you can expect to start ovulating about seven days after you've taken the last dose of clomiphene. if you don't ovulate right away the dose can be increased by 50 milligrams per day each month up to 150 mg. after you've begun to ovulate most doctors suggest taking clomid for no longer than six months. if you haven't gotten pregnant by then you would try a different medication. these fertility drugs sometimes make the cervical mucus "hostile" to sperm keeping sperm from swimming into the uterus. this can be overcome by using artificial insemination -- injecting specially prepared sperm directly into the uterus -- to fertilize the egg. depending on your situation your doctor may also suggest other fertility drugs such as gonal-f or other injectable hormones that stimulate follicles and stimulate egg development in the ovaries. these are the so-called "super-ovulation" drugs. most of these drugs are administered by injection just under the skin. some of these hormones may overstimulate the ovaries (causing abdominal bloating and discomfort) thus your doctor will monitor you with frequent vaginal ultrasounds and blood tests to monitor estrogen levels. about 90% of women ovulate with these drugs and between 20% and 60% become pregnant.
how can i become pregnant if i have problems ovulating?