Are You Having Ovulation Difficulty?
Many couples who have struggled to get pregnant often undergo testing to determine a reason. If your provider believes that you may be having ovulation difficulty, you could be a candidate for Letrozole.
In the simplest terms, Letrozole induces ovulation. Letrozole is an oral fertility medication that is a helpful aid to induce an egg to develop and be released in women. It is used to induce ovulation in women who cannot ovulate or to help produce multiple eggs in women who already ovulate on their own.
What are some menstrual or blood testing clues that can indicate you are a Letrozole candidate?
- If your periods are very irregular.
- If you rarely or never have a period.
- If your periods are regular but your progesterone levels are low.
Our care providers at Roswell Ob/Gyn have helped many patients tackle Infertility. To schedule your first care appointment, please call our main office at 770-751-3600, or if you’re an existing patient click here.
Letrozole May Be The Right Treatment For You
First, before deciding if Letrozole might be an option, we will need you to have your blood tested so we can exclude some medical issues.
You will be tested for:
- your thyroid levels,
- your prolactin levels,
- and any sign of diabetes or pre-diabetes.
And then, there is a necessary test (the AMH), which is a measure of your “egg reserve.” Unfortunately, if your egg reserve (AMH) level is too low, Letrozole will not improve your chance of getting pregnant.
But, most importantly, to be a Letrozole candidate, we need to know that your partner’s sperm count is normal.
How Does Letrozole Work?
Women on Letrozole can produce more natural stimulation to push ovaries to ovulate. Letrozole is taken when your natural processes are working on getting the next ovulation ramped up.
Your Letrozole Prescription
You will take Letrozole daily, starting on Cycle Day 3 (the first day of your menses is Cycle Day 1) and ending on Cycle Day 7. When you start an initial dose of 2.5 mg, Letrozole dosing can be adjusted upwards as needed (most providers use a maximum of 7.5 mg). We typically prescribe your Letrozole dose for 3-4 Cycles before considering Letrozole has failed.
Is Letrozole Your Only Treatment Option?
Patients with ovulation difficulty have historically been prescribed Clomid. But Clomid (although having the advantage of 40+ years of clinical use) has never been highly effective with older patients as well as individuals susceptible to excessive weight gain.
Our providers at Roswell Ob/Gyn in Atlanta use Letrozole as their front-line oral ovulation-inducing treatment option. Many of our providers especially like Letrozole for our patients who are 35 years and older.
And, if you prefer to try Clomid, we will honor your choice.
Lastly, Are There Any Risks?
- Letrozole and Clomid are taken before ovulation and are typically out of your bloodstream long before a fetus starts developing organs. Neither of these medicines has been found to increase the risk of congenital disabilities. Some critics will say we know more about Clomid safety. But Letrozole has not been implicated as a troublemaker thus far.
- Neither Letrozole nor Clomid work for everyone. Some women cannot ovulate at all. Others ovulate but still do not get pregnant. When these oral medications fail, we recommend you seek further information and consideration of therapy at a Reproductive Endocrine practice.
- Letrozole and Clomid increase the risk of twins at about a generally conservative range of 3-5%.
You can learn more at our Infertility resources page, we’ve had a Letrozole Guideline on our website for several years.
Discover Your Best Infertility Choices
Early detection of Infertility issues with our services can help you prepare for the best treatment options available. We provide care, as one of the best gyno in Atlanta, that helps guide you towards having the healthiest pregnancy.
To learn more about our gynecologist and obstetric services or to schedule an appointment, please call our main office at 770-751-3600. If you’re an established patient, you can also use our online Request an Appointment form.
