Abnormal ovulation can have an impact on a woman's ability to conceive. Some women do not release any eggs due to an underlying medical condition such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The lack of ovulation can cause other side effects besides infertility including an irregular menstrual cycle and an increase in body hair, according to the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (AFCC). A number of medications can be given to a woman to help stimulate ovulation.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene is given to a woman orally during the third through seventh or fifth through ninth day of the menstrual period. While this drug does cause ovulation in about three-fourths of the women who use it, only about 50 percent of them will actually become pregnant, suggests the AFCC. Some women who go on to have in vitro fertilization will have a higher rate of success in getting pregnant.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Depending on the drug, this type of medication is given during the fifth through the ninth days of the menstrual cycle, shortly before ovulation would naturally occur. When the enzyme aromatase is inhibited, estrogen levels are suppressed resulting in the production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH can trigger the maturation of a follicle and eventually the release of an egg. This type of drug is also used in women who ovulate naturally but are having trouble getting pregnant. This is because the drug causes even more eggs to be released, increasing the chances of sperm reaching one.
Gonadotropins
Several types of gonadotropins are used in inducing ovulation, including human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). These drugs are often injected for eight to 14 days out of each month to stimulate ovulation. Some work by directly stimulating the ovaries while others trigger the pituitary gland to trigger ovulation. The AFCC points out that about 90 percent of women are able to ovulate with this form of treatment.
Metformin
Metformin was originally prescribed for the treatment of diabetes, but it was later found that the drug can induce ovulation. The drug is prescribed at one 500 mg dose per day for a week and gradually increased to three 500 mg doses per day. The medicine does cause side effects in about 25 percent of women, which is why the dose is increased over time. Such side effects include abdominal pain or cramping, diarrhea and nausea. Some women may experience the side effects at such an intensity that she no longer continues the drug.
