What is "clomiphene citrate"?

What is "clomiphene citrate"?

Richard Paulson (Chief, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, USC) gives expert video advice on: What is "ovulation induction"?; What is "clomiphene citrate"? and more...

Clomiphene citrate, commonly abbreviated "Clomid" because that was its first trade name, is one of the first fertility medications that was available on the market. It came on the market in the 1960s, and it is a medication which acts a little bit like an anti-oestrogen. So, it fools the body into thinking that there is not enough oestrogen in the circulation, and the body responds by making additional follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, and this additional FSH stimulates the ovary to produce eggs and to ovulate. Now, Clomid is not very good for producing many eggs; in other words, it's not very good for bringing the balance towards producing, let's say five, or eight, or even ten eggs in the ovary. It's good for restoring a balance that's missing. For this reason, Clomid is commonly used in women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or other conditions where they are not ovulating. It is the simplest drug, and the first one, that we would typically use in a fertility setting.