Fertility drugs 'don't work'

Two common fertility treatments given to couples who are struggling to have a baby are almost no help, according to a new study.

Both the fertility drug clomifene citrate, also known as Clomid, and a form of artificial insemination did not improve the chances of getting pregnant, says the study by the University of Aberdeen.

More than 21,000 couples a year are given the drug clomifene citrate and it has cost the NHS more than £1m over the last 5 years.

The study tested three groups of women. The first were given no treatment and simply told to have more sex. Another group were given clomifene citrate, while a third group were given artificial insemination.

After six months, there were 32 births among the group trying to conceive naturally, compared with 26 on the drug and 43 among those who had artificial insemination.

Researchers claim that the differences are not enough to prove that the artificial insemination and the drug has a major effect, but Professor Bhattacharya who led the study admitted, 'Giving no treatment is unpopular both with staff and patients.'

Those couples who were given treatments during the study felt more assured, but between 10-20% of the women taking the drug experienced side-effects, including stomach pain, bloating, sickness and headaches.

1 in 7 couples in the UK experience fertility problems and for a third of these there is no obvious cause.

Sources: BBC, Telegraph, Daily Mail

More help and advice

- Boost your chances of getting pregnant
- Find out more about infertility and problems conceiving
- 10 things you need to know about ovulation
- Tips to boost your man's fertility
- Are you having problems? Talk to other women