Human Reproduction, Vol 12, 706-707, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
F Siedentopf, B Horstkamp, G Stief and H Kentenich
Secondary side-effects often occur in women undergoing hormonal stimulation
treatment with clomiphene citrate. In general 10.4% of women experience hot
flushing, 5.5% have complaints caused by enlargement of the ovaries and
3.5% experience central nervous symptoms (nervousness, sleeplessness,
headaches, visual disturbances, vertigo). During ovarian stimulation with
clomiphene citrate for in-vitro fertilization, a 32 year old patient
developed psychotic symptoms, commencing 3 days after initiation of
treatment. Hospitalization in the psychiatric ward became necessary when
severe formal and rational thought disturbances arose together with
perceptory and sensory delusions. Under neuroleptic treatment the symptoms
improved. Nevertheless, follow-up psychiatric care on an outpatient basis
was deemed necessary. The infertility treatment was continued with human
menopausal gonadotrophin stimulation. Psychiatric instability occurred
neither at this point nor during the 2 year follow-up observation period.
Both an exogenous psychosis (ICD F23.9) as well as the exacerbation of an
endogenous psychosis (ICD F29) may be considered for the differential
diagnosis. The stimulation with clomiphene citrate in connection with the
physical and psychic stress of the infertility therapy can be regarded as
the trigger factor. For patients with evidence of psychiatric illness in
their case history, ovulation- inducing substances such as clomiphene
citrate should be implemented with particular care.
ARTICLES
Clomiphene citrate as a possible cause of a psychotic reaction during infertility treatment
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, DRK-Kliniken Westend, Berlin, Germany.
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