Ovulation Induction Drugs: What They Are, How They Work, and Which Ones Are Used

When your body doesn’t release an egg each month, ovulation induction drugs, medications designed to trigger or regulate egg release in women with irregular or absent ovulation. Also known as fertility drugs, they’re often the first step for couples trying to get pregnant when ovulation is the main issue. These aren’t magic pills—they work by mimicking or boosting your natural hormones to get your ovaries moving again.

Two of the most common clomiphene, an oral medication that tricks the brain into producing more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and letrozole, a breast cancer drug repurposed to stimulate ovulation by lowering estrogen levels briefly are used in over 80% of cases. Clomiphene has been around for decades, while letrozole is now often preferred because it has fewer side effects and higher live birth rates in women with PCOS. If those don’t work, doctors turn to gonadotropins, injectable hormones that directly stimulate the ovaries, including FSH and LH. These are stronger, more expensive, and need close monitoring through blood tests and ultrasounds.

People often assume these drugs are only for women with PCOS, but they’re also used after unexplained infertility, low hormone levels, or after stopping birth control that suppressed ovulation. They’re not for everyone—women with blocked tubes, severe endometriosis, or poor ovarian reserve usually need different approaches. But for many, these drugs are the key that unlocks natural conception without IVF. What you’ll find in the articles below isn’t just a list of names. You’ll see real comparisons, side effect breakdowns, cost differences, and how these treatments fit into the bigger picture of fertility care. No fluff. Just what you need to understand your options and talk smarter with your doctor.