Clomid statistics and success rate

In this article:

• How many people experience infertility?
• How many people use Clomid?
• Success rate and outcomes
• Timeframe for achieving pregnancy
• Clomid spending
• Side effects
• Contraindications

In this article

• How many people experience infertility?
• How many people use Clomid?
• Success rate and outcomes
• Timeframe for achieving pregnancy
• Clomid spending
• Side effects
• Contraindications

They say having children is an experience unlike any other. However, for some people, that experience is difficult to achieve. Infertility can be a long and discouraging road, but there are treatments that can help, including Clomid (clomiphene citrate). As an oral medication, Clomid works on estrogen receptors in the brain. It can help stimulate ovulation, follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH), and luteinizing hormones, making it easier to conceive. Clomid treatment is popular for women during intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), but many people wonder how effective it actually is. 

We’ve got all the statistics on Clomid’s prevalence and effectiveness, plus a few facts you might not have known, right here.

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How many people experience infertility?

Infertility can sometimes feel like a lonely experience, but it is a very common medical condition with various causes and treatments. Here are a few statistics that show just how common infertility is:

• Around 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility. (WHO, 2023)
• In a survey of 600 adults,1 in 4 couples who have difficulty conceiving do not know the cause. (SingleCare, 2020)
• The U.S. fertility rate was estimated to be 1.84 children born per woman in 2024. (Central Intelligence Agency, 2024)
• Around 13.4% of U.S. women ages 15–49 years had impaired fertility from 2015 to 2019. (CDC, 2024)
• Approximately 11.4% of men aged 15–49 years had impaired fertility from 2015 to 2019. (CDC, 2024)
• In 2023, the birth rate was 54.4 births per 1,000 U.S. women ages 15–44 years—a decrease of 3% from 2022 (CDC, 2024)

How many people use Clomid?

Clomid is one of the most popular fertility treatments, since it is often less expensive and invasive than procedures like IUI or IVF. ”OBGYNs often use Clomid as a first-line treatment when patients have been trying to conceive for some time, before sending them to a fertility specialist,” says Dr. Tendai Chiware, MD, FACOG, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Genesis Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. “It can also be used alongside intrauterine insemination or IUI, with donor sperm, or in combination with other medications like metformin to enhance follicle development in PCOS,” she adds. Here is how many people use it:

• Over one million women in the U.S. are prescribed Clomid every year. (Verified Market Reports, 2025)
• In a survey of 600 people who had difficulty conceiving, 17% used a fertility medication like Clomid. (SingleCare, 2020)
• Approximately 42% of Americans say they have used fertility services or know someone who has. (Pew Research Center, 2023)
• In 2024, around 38% of women who needed fertility services reported taking drugs to improve ovulation. (KFF, 2024)
• A retrospective analysis using a claims database found that 12,318 men in the U.S. were prescribed clomiphene citrate for male infertility and related conditions from 2001 to 2014. (The World Journal of Men’s Health, 2020)

Clomid success rate and pregnancy outcomes

“[Clomid is] often used to help women who need help making mature eggs, such as those who suffer from PCOS, as well as unexplained infertility. Once other causes of ovarian dysfunction are ruled out, Clomid can be used to help infertility patients improve their chances of pregnancy,” says Dr. Erika Munch, MD, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Texas Fertility Center. “The effectiveness of Clomid is dependent on a woman’s age, so the younger she is, the more likely she will become pregnant with infertility treatment,” she explains.

Here are some statistics about Clomid’s general pregnancy outcomes:

• Some studies suggest that 75–80% of women who take Clomid will ovulate. (Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023)
• Survey results showed that 47% of patients who received some type of fertility treatment successfully conceived and stayed pregnant. (SingleCare, 2020)
• A 2008 study found that the pregnancy rates for women taking Clomid while undergoing IUI were as follows:
  • Less than 35 years of age: 24.2%
  • 35–37 years of age: 18.5%
  • 38–40 years of age: 15.1%
  • 41–42 years of age: 7.4%
  • Greater than 42 years of age: 1.8%
    (Fertility and Sterility, 2008)
    
• In a study of women ages 18–40 years with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) who used clomiphene citrate with timed intercourse, patients had a 27.4% cumulative pregnancy rate and 19.1 % cumulative live birth rate. (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2014)

Timeframe for achieving pregnancy

Everyone responds to treatment differently, so there is no hard and fast rule for how long Clomid takes to achieve pregnancy. It might work on the first cycle, or it might not work at all. “Clomid is used during the first several days of the menstrual cycle to optimize the brain’s delivery of follicle growth hormones to the ovary,” Dr. Munch says. “If Clomid is going to be effective, pregnancies are usually seen within the first 3-6 months of treatment, though select patients may continue Clomid cycles for longer.”

“Many patients conceive within the first three cycles, though some may need additional cycles. It can be done in back-to-back cycles or with breaks, depending on scheduling,” Dr. Chiware adds.

That said, here are some facts about Clomid’s timeframe:

• Some healthcare providers recommend taking Clomid for no more than six menstrual cycles before switching to a different fertility regimen. (Human Reproduction, 2005)
• Some research found that 71–87.5% of pregnancies that occur due to taking Clomid happen within the first three cycles of treatment. (Human Reproduction, 2005)

How much do Americans spend on Clomid?

“Clomid is a cost-effective medication; even without insurance coverage, it is generally affordable,” Dr. Chiware says. “It is a good option for individuals or couples beginning their fertility journey.” Because of its popularity among patients and healthcare providers alike, it generates a lot of global revenue. Here are some facts about how much people spend on Clomid:

• The global market size for clomiphene citrate was estimated at $1.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $2.8 billion by 2033. (Verified Market Reports, 2025)
• North America accounted for 40% of all clomiphene citrate revenue worldwide in 2023, more than any other region. (Verified Market Reports, 2025)
• The average out-of-pocket price for clomiphene citrate is $74 for five 50 mg tablets, which is usually the amount needed for one cycle. Over six months, that adds up to around $444. (SingleCare)
• Patients who use a fertility medication by itself (no IUI or IVF) pay an average of $5,894 out of pocket per successful live birth. The average total out-of-pocket costs for a patient receiving Clomid and IUI is $10,696 per successful live birth. (KFF, 2020)

How many Americans use insurance for Clomid?

• Around 49% of employers with 20,000+ employees and 33% of employers with 500+ employees offer healthcare plans that cover fertility drugs like Clomid or letrozole. (KFF, 2020)
• While most Medicare beneficiaries are 65 years of age and older, the program also covers some younger people with disabilities. In 2019, Medicare covered $3,214 worth of clomiphene citrate for 867 beneficiaries. (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2023)
• Medicaid coverage for fertility treatments varies based on the state. (KFF, 2020)
• In SingleCare’s survey, 29% of people using fertility treatments reported insurance or Medicaid partially covering treatments, while 20% reported insurance or Medicaid covering all treatments. (SingleCare, 2020)

How many Americans pay for Clomid out of pocket?

It’s difficult to provide an exact number, since there isn’t specific data on it. However, SingleCare survey results showed that 24% of people who received fertility treatment reported paying out of pocket.

Clomid side effects

If you take a prescription medication like Clomid, side effects are always a possibility. Some are much more common than others, but knowing all the possibilities before beginning treatment is good.

• According to clinical trials, the incidence of Clomid’s common adverse effects are:
  • Ovarian enlargement: 13.6%
  • Vasomotor flushes: 10.4%
  • Abdominal-pelvic discomfort/bloating: 5.5%
  • Nausea and vomiting: 2.2%
  • Breast discomfort: 2.1%
  • Visual symptoms: 1.5%
  • Headache: 1.3%
  • Abnormal uterine bleeding: 1.3%
    (DailyMed, 2025)
    

• Additionally, less than 1% of patients experienced increased appetite, constipation, dermatitis, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, hair loss, increased urinary frequency or volume, insomnia, lightheadedness, nervous tension, vaginal dryness, vertigo, and weight changes. (DailyMed, 2025)

Who should not take Clomid?

While it can be incredibly helpful for some, Clomid is not for everyone. According to Dr. Munch, it could be less effective for certain groups, including patients who have:

• Pituitary problems: “Using Clomid won’t convince the brain to send the ovarian growth hormones necessary for egg development, and other medications may be needed.”
• Inhibited uterine lining growth: “In some patients, Clomid will limit the development of uterine lining tissue, so if someone is already struggling with uterine lining growth, Clomid may not be the first choice for fertility treatment.”
• Menopause: “Clomid will not improve upon the brain’s already-robust signaling to the ovary, so it cannot make eggs develop in women who have no remaining eggs to stimulate.”

Additionally, per the Clomid label, it is contraindicated for people with the following conditions:

• Hypersensitivity or allergy to clomiphene citrate or any of its ingredients
• Pregnancy
• Liver disease
• Abnormal uterine bleeding
• Ovarian cysts (not from PCOS)
• Thyroid or adrenal dysfunction
• Pituitary tumor

For anyone with these conditions, a fertility healthcare provider can help determine which fertility drugs or treatment options might be a better fit.