Clomiphene is used to help regulate ovulation or induce ovulation in women who are not ovulating at all. It also assists in increasing the production of eggs in the ovaries and can help women with luteal phase defect. It is often prescribed to women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. It may also be prescribed to men whose fertility problems are due to a hormonal imbalance.
Clomiphene comes in 50mg tablets. This is the minimum dose prescribed to women. Starting on day 3, 4, or 5 of your cycle, you take one tablet daily for five days. If ovulation does not occur, your dosage may be increased to a maximum of 200mg per day. It is recommended that clomiphene be prescribed for a maximum of six cycles. Since about 80% of women will ovulate within the first three cycles, you may be switched to another type of treatment before the six-cycle mark if you do not seem to be responding to the treatment.
Clomid is a mixed estrogen agonist/antagonist (activator/blocker) which, when bound to the estrogen receptor, puts it in a somewhat different conformation (shape) than does estradiol. The estrogen receptor requires binding of an estrogen or drug at its binding site and also the binding of any of several cofactors at different sites. Without the binding of the cofactor, the estrogen receptor is inactive.