Ovulation induction is somewhat different from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation which involves use of some of the same medications to stimulate development of multiple mature follicles and eggs in order to increase pregnancy rates with various infertility treatments. Women who do not ovulate regularly on their own and want to become pregnant. There are four basic types of medication that are used to induce ovulation. Treatment with these medications has the potential to result in pregnancy if the woman has good quality eggs remaining in her ovaries, and if other causes of infertility are not present. For women with ovarian failure or extremely very poor quality eggs there is currently no medication available to allow a reasonable chance of conception with any type of ovarian stimulation.
Egg donation is their best option for getting pregnant.
The four major types of drug therapy for ovulation problems include clomiphene citrate, injectable gonadotropins, GnRH pump, and bromocriptine. These are all discussed below. Many women with anovulation do not have regular menstrual cycles on their own and therefore the menses would be induced by having the woman take a medication. She would then take the clomiphene beginning shortly after the induced menstrual period begins. If two tablets a day are not successful in causing ovulation we would either try 3 tablets per day or move on to injectable gonadotropins.