Infertility has profound effects on your mood and emotions. Many people tend to blame themselves for not being able to have a child, when, in fact, it’s no one’s fault. When faced with infertility, the first step many people take is to seek help from an infertility specialist. It’s important to know just how much infertility medications can affect your moods so that you’re fully prepared for what lies ahead.
Infertility Medications
Clomiphene
The most commonly prescribed medication for infertility is Clomiphene. It is a medication to treat ovulation problems, which is a common reason for infertility. This medication triggers a section of the brain to release additional hormones, which are essential to the ovulation cycle.
Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG)
This is another popular medication in the treatment of infertility. hMG works to stimulate ovarian function when, in conjunction with Clomiphene, may increase the likelihood of conception.
Oral Contraceptives
Yes, oral contraceptives may help treat infertility and are used most often during in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Leuprolide/Lupron
This medication works to suppress ovarian hormones, which makes it a popular choice for the treatment of endometriosis and infertility, and is used with IVF.
Emotional Effects of Infertility Medications
These medications have 2 things in common; they work to treat infertility and they bring forth psychological side effects. The biggest side effect of all these medications is depression. While depression is certainly a common feeling with faced with reproductive roadblocks, it’s important to realize that these medications also contribute. Other emotional side effects include mood swings, irritability, and changes in libido.
Because infertility is filled with such raw emotion, adding medications to the mix may increase the likelihood of depression. It’s important to understand what your body is going through and what it will continue to go through on your journey to become a parent. Reaching out to a reproductive psychiatrist can only help you become better prepared for what lies ahead.
My name is Amanda Itzkoff, MD. I am a New York City based Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
For additional information, please feel free to email our office at Amanda.Itzkoff@gmail.com.
To schedule an appointment, call our offices at 917-609-4990.
Be Well,
Dr. Amanda Itzkoff
Reference:
Glezer, A. (2016, February 9). Guest Post: Dr. Anna Glezer on the Emotional Side Effects of Infertility Medications. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/10201/