Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) Uses

Clomiphene is used to induce ovulation in women who do not produce eggs and wish to become pregnant, for example, women with irregular menstrual cycles or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This medicine can also increase sperm production and treat infertility in men with low sperm counts due to low testosterone levels. 

There may be other uses of clomiphene—such as for fibrocystic breasts, menstrual abnormalities, persistent milk production, and male hypogonadism (male infertility). Your doctor or health system pharmacists can give you further clomiphene drug information.

Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) Mechanism of Action

Clomiphene is a weak estrogen-like hormone that acts on estrogen receptors in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in the brain. This tricks the body into believing estrogen levels are low, resulting in increased secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones cause ovarian follicles to develop and eggs to be released from the ovaries. In this way, Clomid works to stimulate the release of mature eggs from the ovaries.

Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) Doses

Clomiphene is available as a 50 mg tablet. Clomiphene therapy is usually started at 50 mg once a day by mouth for 5 days. If the first cycle of Clomid treatment does not result in a pregnancy, your doctor may increase the dose in subsequent clomiphene cycles to 100 mg once a day for 5 days. If ovulation induction does not occur in anovulatory women even at doses of 150 mg a day in subsequent cycles, then some other infertility treatment may be attempted.