Clomiphene and gonadotropins are commonly used fertility drugs that can increase your chances of having twins. Clomiphene is a medication available only through prescription. In the United States, the brand names for the drug are Clomid and Serophene.
Factors that increase the chance of twins include: consuming high amounts of dairy foods, being over the age of 30, and conceiving while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim also increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.
Very possible. Depending on the type of fertility treatment used, if more than one follicle is produced, the risk of multiple gestation can be as much as 1 out of 3 women who become pregnant.
1# Folic Acid Supplements
Studies have shown that women who took folic acid supplements while trying to conceive, have a 40% or greater chance of conceiving twins.
Research shows that moms-to-be who take folic acid supplements are more likely to conceive twins. These studies have found that the rate of twinning increased up to 40% with the intake of such supplements as well as consuming enriched cereal grains that were fortified with folic acid.
Most twins conceived with Clomid will not be identical. During clinical trials of twin pregnancies, one in five were identical twins and 80% of the twin pregnancies were fraternal twins (not identical). Clomid increases your odds of conceiving twins because your ovaries may ovulate more than one egg.
Can You Get Clomid Over the Counter? Clomid is only available by prescription, and should only be used under the supervision of your physician. It is never advised to buy drugs like Clomid online, due to possible side effects and drug interactions.
The cost for Clomid oral tablet 50 mg is around $50 for a supply of 10 tablets, depending on the pharmacy you visit.
Clomid can cost anywhere between $20 to $185.
When clomiphene citrate is started on day- 5, it is just in time to stimulate the recruitment of multiple follicles. If a woman starts Clomid earlier than day 5, it is possible to stimulate multiple 'dominant follicles', which may result (theoretically) in a higher incidence of multiple gestation pregnancies.
Clomid Side Effects Can Cause Birth Defects. A study of Clomid (clomiphene-citrate) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links the drug, Clomid, to significantly increased risks for numerous, serious birth defects, including cleft lip and palate.
When it comes to stimulating ovulation, Clomid is very successful, resulting in the release of mature eggs in roughly 80% of women who use it. However, only about 10% to 13% of those will get pregnant per cycle. Thus, Clomid is not an infertility treatment cure-all.
If you're pregnant with twins, you should take the same prenatal vitamins you would take for any pregnancy, but your physician will recommend extra folic acid and iron. The additional folic acid and extra iron will help ward off iron-deficiency anemia, which is more common when you're pregnant with multiples.
Do not take this medicine if: You are allergic (hypersensitive) to clomifene or any of the other ingredients of Clomid (listed in Section 6). Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue. You have or ever had liver disease.
If three to six cycles of Clomid don't lead to pregnancy, new treatment options may be considered. Six cycles of Clomid is considered to be the top limit, though some healthcare providers suggest moving on if pregnancy doesn't occur by the third treatment cycle.
First Month Efficacy
Depending on which research studies you reference, the odds of conceiving during any one Clomid treatment cycle are 5.6% to 20%. 2 The effectiveness of Clomid varies depending on the cause of infertility.
Please note that Clomid is a fertility medication. One important side effect is the possibility of multiple births. The probability of having twins while taking this medication is 7% (meaning 7 out of 100 women taking Clomid will get pregnant with twins). The chance of having more than twins is rare.
Increasing folic acid (about 400 – 1000 micrograms a day) is also a natural way to get pregnant with twins. Folic acid also reduces the risk of neural tube defects during pregnancy and helps in the healthy growth of the baby.
Your gynecologist or fertility doctor can provide you with a prescription. Sometimes a general health practitioner can also provide you an order. We recommend seeing a fertility specialist whenever possible. Their expertise in female infertility can ensure that Clomid is the appropriate treatment for your condition.
Most women will ovulate 7 to 10 days after taking Clomid pills, which means you're most likely to conceive on days 11 through 21 of your cycle. Statistics indicate that when taken as directed, the success rate of clomid shows 80 percent of women will respond to the treatment and successfully ovulate on Clomid.
Typically it causes 2 or 3 eggs to ovulate. This improves pregnancy rates, but also increases the likelihood of multiple gestation (twins or triplets). The risk of multiple gestation when taking Clomid is still generally low.
Adults—50 milligrams (mg) a day for five days of a menstrual cycle. The treatment is usually started on the fifth day of your menstrual period. If you do not have menstrual cycles, you can begin taking your medicine at any time.
Because Clomid can cause side effects like blurred vision or dizziness, it is safest to avoid any hazardous activity, like driving or using heavy machinery, until you know how the drug affects you.