Good evening, looking to find a Dr to prescribe letrozole to boost ovulation for natural conception. I am 44 and don't really want to go for IVF but would be happy to try letrozole and progesterone supplementation to boost my (low) chances to conceive naturally. What is the best course of action?
Will a fertility Dr be able to help me, and if so please could anyone recommend one? Thanks in advance 🙏
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Azzurra79
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hello, we’re similar ages and I have similar reservations re IVF. I’ve not heard of taking letrozole as an option, was it recommended by your fertility doctor/gp?
I'd also be interested to hear of Dr or clinics that use the route for us older ladies. I was recommended Mini IVF which basically uses a similar drug called clomid to induce ovulation. I'm back home now in UK/London/Surrey. Please message if you do know of Dr/clinic that uses ovulation approach. Thank you
Hi I would suggest that you first check your own levels, at least progesterone in your luteal phase (7 days after ovulation it should ideally be at least 10 ng/mL), preferrably also estradiol / estrogen in the beginning of the cycle (between 20 and 75 ng/mL).I got letrozole because I had a 'weak ovulation' - ovulation that didn't produce enough progesterone. It will increase your hormone levels by increasing FSH so I got a huge increase in estrogen BUT I didn't produce enough progesterone so I got estrogen breathrough bleedings a few days after ovulation (so worse than my normal cycle). I found that doctors are very hesitant to prescribe progesterone but getting letrozole wasn't hard but it's often not enough (when a bit older). Also my cycles got a bit weird after letrozole and I have heard it may have been because I have a low ovarian reserve. If you don't get progesterone I suggest looking for a progesterone cream if your progesterone values are low and try that first before letrozole. You can also get something like dong quai which works as a phytoestrogen to help your follicle phase (take up to ovulation). Good luck and hope you get your plus soon!
Hi, similar to the person above - I would have your hormone levels checked first. I was given letrozole because I have pcos and I can't ovulate on my own. That's really what it's prescribed for mostly.
But if you have low ovarian reserve, letrozole won't really help as it's just helping you ovulate.
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