Clomiphene: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When it comes to helping women get pregnant, clomiphene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to stimulate ovulation in women with infertility. Also known as Clomid, it’s one of the most prescribed fertility drugs in the world. Unlike surgery or IVF, clomiphene is simple, affordable, and taken as a pill—usually for just five days at the start of your cycle. It doesn’t add hormones to your body. Instead, it tricks your brain into thinking estrogen levels are low, which signals your pituitary gland to release more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Those hormones then tell your ovaries to grow and release an egg.

Clomiphene isn’t for everyone. It’s mainly used for women with irregular or absent ovulation, often due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It’s also used in cases where the cause of infertility isn’t clear. But it won’t help if your tubes are blocked, your partner has low sperm count, or you’re past your reproductive years. Some women take it with other treatments—like timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI)—to boost their chances. And while it’s not a miracle cure, studies show about 80% of women on clomiphene will ovulate, and roughly half of those will get pregnant within six cycles.

Side effects are usually mild: bloating, mood swings, hot flashes, or headaches. But in rare cases, it can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), where the ovaries swell and become painful. Multiple pregnancies are also more common—about 10% of pregnancies with clomiphene result in twins. That’s why doctors monitor you with blood tests or ultrasounds during treatment. And if it doesn’t work after three to six months, they’ll likely move on to other options like letrozole or injectable hormones.

Clomiphene is often compared to letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor increasingly used as a first-line treatment for ovulation induction. Some recent studies suggest letrozole might have slightly higher pregnancy rates and lower risks of multiples, especially in women with PCOS. But clomiphene is still widely used because it’s cheaper, has decades of safety data, and works well for many.

What you’ll find in the posts below aren’t just generic drug facts. You’ll see real comparisons, side effect breakdowns, and practical advice from people who’ve been through it. Whether you’re just starting to explore fertility options or you’ve been on clomiphene before and want to know what else might work, these articles give you the clear, no-fluff info you need. No jargon. No hype. Just what matters when you’re trying to build a family.