Infertility In Women - Treatment

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Cancer Concerns. There has been concern that clomiphene and gonadotropins may increase the risks for ovarian and breast cancer. Most evidence to date does not indicate that ovulation-stimulating drugs increase the risks for these types of cancers. Some studies suggest that clomiphene, which is chemically related to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen, may actually decrease the risk for breast cancer.

Other Drugs Used or Under Investigation

Letrozole and Aromatase Inhibitors. Aromatase inhibitors block aromatase, an enzyme that is largely responsible for producing estrogen in body tissues outside of the ovaries. These drugs include anastrozole (Arimidex) and letrozole (Femara). These drugs are used for treating breast cancer and are being investigated for stimulating ovulation in infertile women. Although letrozole is not approved for treatment of infertility, it has become widely used for this purpose in recent years.

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Progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that is produced by the body during the menstrual cycle. Progesterone drugs are sometimes given to women who have experienced frequent miscarriages (a possible sign of progesterone deficiency). A progesterone drug may also be given after egg retrieval during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle to help thicken the uterine lining (endometrium) so it can better hold the egg following implantation.

Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is a drug known as a selective estrogen-receptor modulator (SERM). It is used to treat or prevent breast cancer in certain women. It is also being studied in fertility treatments to induce ovulation. Tamoxifen works in a similar to clomiphene but may pose more health hazards, including a risk for blood clots and uterine cancer.

Glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that are sometimes used in combination with IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to help make the lining of the uterus more responsive to egg implantation. However, recent reviews caution that glucocorticoids do not help improve pregnancy success rates and should not be used routinely with assisted reproductive technologies.

Review Date: 11/10/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).