Side effects of fertility drugs
You have been trying to conceive for a long time now but can’t seem to, so you start reading about fertility drugs. Fertility drugs are by no means the only way to increasing your chance of conceiving, and they are most effective when they are prescribed to you by your doctor. Different fertility drugs work in different ways and target specific areas to help you during your fertility journey. What are they and how do they affect our bodies?
Fertility drugs come in multiple forms from oral medication to injectible fertility drugs. The best way to decide which one is right for you is to consult your OBGYN. The most common type of fertility drug is Clomid, this comes in pill form. Clomid is prescribed to normalize hormones related to egg production and ovulation like follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Next there are injectable fertility drugs, which are usually prescribed after something like Clomid. These can vary in terms of the hormones but some include, gonadotropin releasing hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, FSH, and LH. There are also fertility drugs that prevent premature ovulation, these are mainly prescribed to those going through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Another kind is fertility drugs that induce ovulation for those who have irregular periods and therefore irregular ovulations.
There are risks to everything including fertility drugs, so keep reading to learn about what some of the side effects are!
Anxiety
Anxiety in relation to fertility drugs is a multi-faceted side effect. Studies show that some women develop anxiety by just reading and learning about all the risk factors, especially since these medications have to do with their future children. In addition, an increase in gonadotropins (a form of fertility drugs) can cause anxiety.
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes can be caused by the hormonal changes your body is experiencing due to the fertility drugs. Your body becomes hypersensitive to temperature with fluctuating hormone levels, so hot flashes are a response due to the hypothalamus as an attempt to regulate body temperature. Dressing in lightweight materials and layers can help with this. This way, when you are experiencing a hot flash you can simply remove a few layers to cool down. Also, avoiding consumption of hot drinks can help with triggering hot flashes.
Changes in Vision
Fertility drugs can occasionally cause blurred or impaired vision. This is a more serious side effect, so speak with your doctor if you notice any changes to your eyesight. In most cases, these vision changes are temporary, and once you stop taking the medication things should return to normal.
Multiparity
There are varying effects of conceiving a multiple pregnancy based on the type of fertility drug. Clomid (an oral fertility drug) has about a 7% chance of conceiving twins while gonadotropin releasing hormone (an injectable fertility drug) has up to a 30% chance. This is caused due to the increase in the number of eggs produced. If there are more eggs available, there is a higher chance that multiple could become fertilized. Remember that each person is different, genetics and other environmental factors have an effect on multiparity as well.
