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Clomiphene Citrate for Women with Unexplained Infertility

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Unexplained Infertility

Abstract

Ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate (CC) alone or combined with intrauterine insemination (IUI), when indicated, is an effective and relatively inexpensive first line treatment for “unexplained infertility” due to suboptimal ovulation or cervical mucus factor, and may shorten the time to pregnancy by increasing the number of preovulatory follicles. Its most effective use will be in women older than 30 years because of the age-related decrease in antral follicles and in women with suboptimal ovulation as evidenced by low preovulation estrogen levels and low progesterone levels, or a short luteal phase. Outcomes are dependent on preovulatory follicle numbers and age of the female partner. Treatment should be continued for a maximum of four cycles except in women with ovulatory dysfunction where it may be continued for up to six cycles. Pregnancy rates can be improved and the risk of multiple pregnancies reduced by ultrasound and hormone monitoring.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Fertility Institute, 800 N Causeway Blvd, Ste 2C, 70448, Mandeville, LA, USA

    Richard P. Dickey MD, PhD

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  1. Richard P. Dickey MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Richard P. Dickey MD, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA

    Glenn L. Schattman

  2. Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic Referral Center for Male Reproduction, ANDROFERT, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Sandro C. Esteves

  3. Andrology Center & Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lerner College of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

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Dickey, R. (2015). Clomiphene Citrate for Women with Unexplained Infertility. In: Schattman, G., Esteves, S., Agarwal, A. (eds) Unexplained Infertility. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2140-9_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2140-9_25

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