Infertility is a common problem for many people trying to get pregnant. Fortunately, many treatment options are available to help those struggling with infertility. Medications, such as letrozole, are often recommended as part of an infertility treatment plan.
What is Letrozole?
Letrozole is an oral medication that influences reproductive hormone balance in the body. Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor, which reduces the hormone estrogen. It's widely used in breast cancer treatment, but it's also an effective treatment for infertility since its hormonal effects stimulate ovulation.
How Safe is Letrozole, and Does It Work?
Letrozole has been used to treat infertility for over twenty years. Success rates will always vary from person to person. Still, many studies suggest that letrozole is especially helpful for women dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or ovulation problems, like anovulation.
Luckily, letrozole is safe to take, but like any medication, it can have side effects. Some women may experience hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, tiredness, breast tenderness, dizziness, and spotting, to name a few. Letrozole's side effects are mainly related to how it affects estrogen levels.
Medication Alternatives to Letrozole
Medications are often the first-line treatment for women going through ovulation problems. Fertility drugs like letrozole impact hormones that affect ovulation and reproduction.
Clomiphene is one common alternative to letrozole. This oral drug works on the pituitary gland, promoting the release of hormones that encourage the growth of ovarian follicles containing eggs. Clomiphene may be more effective for women who don't have PCOS.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is an injectable medication that may also help the body develop multiple ovarian follicles during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.
Letrozole and IVF
Letrozole can be a valuable part of IVF and IUI treatments since stimulating ovulation can help increase the chances of conception.
Letrozole is also commonly used during an intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycle. Before IUI, you'll typically take either clomiphene or letrozole to stimulate your ovaries. Next, an injection of hCG is given, inducing ovulation. Then, sperm from a donor or a partner is collected, prepared, and placed into the uterus using a thin tube. An IVF cycle has several steps, including ovarian and pituitary suppression, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, egg fertilization in a lab, and the transfer of embryos into the uterus. Letrozole can be used in select patients as part of an IVF cycle to improve ovulation or impact the menstrual cycle to help make IVF as effective as possible.
Embracing Letrozole as an Effective Fertility Aid
Letrozole continues to be a safe and effective choice for many people struggling with infertility when used appropriately under the guidance of a fertility specialist. If you're coping with infertility, it's important to empower yourself with the knowledge to make the best decisions for your unique situation.
Our caring team of fertility experts at Advanced Fertility Care is always here to answer any questions. We strive to provide compassionate, individualized care to support you in building a family. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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