In most cases where fertility drugs are prescribed to help an infertile couple overcome the condition, the drugs are to be taken by the woman. Most fertility drugs are intended to correct problems with ovulation, which is the leading cause of infertility in women according to many accounts. However, in some cases, drugs for fertility may be given to men to help overcome male factor infertility. While this is less common, the possibility of male infertility drugs is worth exploring.
Clomiphene and human menopausal gonadotropin are common fertility drugs used for treating women, but may also be used as a fertility treatment for men. These may treat men suffering from primary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, which inhibits the testicles from receiving the signal to produce sperm, leading to a low sperm count.
Just as clomiphene tells the pituitary gland to produce follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in women, it does the same for men. This results in increased testosterone production, and hopefully increased sperm production.
Injectable treatments may be administered two to three times every week. These directly tell the testes to produce testosterone and sperm. Fertility treatments used in men are not as successful as when they are used to treat women. Some reports indicate that the success rate for men is just a third of the success rate of women who use the same drugs.
Most prescribed fertility supplements for men have a hormonal imbalance that is linked to a low sperm count. Men with poor sperm quality and motility may also be prescribed additional reproductive drugs to improve their chances of conceiving.
Unfortunately for some, taking these drugs for a longer period of time does not improve their chances of conceiving. When fertility drugs are not thought to be working in their current dosage or application, the fertility doctor may recommend increasing the dosage or switching to another medication. In many cases, they may recommend another form of treatment such as artificial reproductive technologies (ART).
Finally, it is important that men are aware of certain side effects associated with taking fertility drugs. These may include enlarged breasts, tenderness in the breasts, temporary blurry vision and weight gain.
It's also important to note that there have been limited studies regarding the success and effects of fertility drugs on men. Fertility drugs may help men with certain hormonal imbalances, and may not be successful in treating mean with other causes of infertility.
