The 5 Common Risks Associated with Fertility Medications

Fertility medications have been widely and successfully used to manage different types of infertility. The fertility medication Celebration specialists agree that some infertility cases can be successfully treated with the medications alone. The drugs can stimulate the quality and quantity of egg production by your ovaries and ready your body for the embryo. One crucial piece of advice every fertility specialist will give you is to better understand every fertility treatment before considering it. We are helping you learn more about fertility drugs by looking into the treatment risks. Follow through.

  1.     Multiple Births

Taking fertility medications stimulates more follicles for growth, which increases the rates of multiple births. Clomiphene citrate increases your chances of multiple births by about 5-10 percent, while gonadotropins increase by about 15-20 percent. When the statistics are put into perspective, you are about 1-2% more likely to have multiple births when you use fertility drugs. But as you have noted, it depends on the type of drugs you are taking. Ensure you ask your doctor about how the specific drug you take is associated with multiple births.

  1.     Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Fertility medications will stimulate your ovaries to produce more eggs, as mentioned earlier. This could result in the enlargement of the ovaries, especially when they are overstimulated. This happens in about 1-5% of cycles. It occurs when the blood vessels to your ovaries leak, causing the fluid to collect in your abdomen. Although the problem lasts for about two weeks, it can be longer if you become pregnant. Also, you might need hospitalization in severe cases, but that happens only in about 1% of the treatment cycles.

  1.     Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy can be caused by several reasons and involves the embryo developing outside the uterus. It can develop in other reproductive organs but mainly occur in the fallopian tubes. Although about 2% of women trying to get pregnant by all means are at the risk of ectopic pregnancy, the chances of enduring the complication are higher if you use fertility medications.

  1.     Ovarian Torsion

This twisting of the ovary occurs when the ovary is enlarged. Remember that fertility medications can overstimulate your ovary in producing eggs, causing the organ to enlarge. This can cause the ovary to twist or cut off the blood supply. You might experience abdominal pain and other painful symptoms, which can demand surgical intervention. Your doctor might have to untwist the ovary surgically or remove it in some rare scenarios.

  1.     Ovarian Cancer

Several past studies indicated a relationship between fertility medications and increased chances of ovarian cancer. But the studies found that the risks are more associated with continued ovulation than the medication exposure. But if you become pregnant or use birth control pills, you could minimize your risks as they prevent ovulation from happening. However, more studies are being conducted and find no relationship between fertility medications and ovarian cancer.

Every fertility treatment, including fertility drugs, carries certain risks. However, the risks can vary from one patient to another depending on their diagnosis and response to specific treatments. You can contact the Center for Reproductive Medicine to understand more about fertility drugs. You can also book a consultation appointment online if you consider the treatment.