Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects about one in ten women of childbearing age. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility (Women’s Health). Women with PCOS are three times as likely to miscarry in the early months of pregnancy as are women without PCOS.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal imbalance that can cause many different symptoms including the following:
- Ovarian cysts
- High levels of insulin
- Excessive amounts of male hormones
- Ovulation and menstrual problems
- Fertility problems
- Weight gain
- Excess body and facial hair or male pattern baldness
- Acne
- Anxiety and depression
Due to abnormal hormone levels with PCOS, your eggs may not develop properly and may not fully ripen. This can lead to ovulation disorders and infertility. If you have irregular menstrual cycles or are having trouble getting pregnant, ask your doctor about PCOS infertility testing and treatment.
The cause is unknown and the syndrome causes high levels of androgens , missed periods and cysts on the woman’s ovaries. The problem can affect woman’s hormone levels, periods, and ovulation. This can affect fertility and pregnancy. PCOS can also cause male-type body changes. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects about one in ten women of childbearing age. The syndrome may occur in girls as young as 11 years old and may strike at any age. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility (Women’s Health). The cause is unknown and the syndrome causes high levels of androgens , missed periods and cysts on the woman’s ovaries. The problem can affect woman’s hormone levels, periods, and ovulation. This can affect fertility and pregnancy. PCOS can also cause male-type body changes.
If a person with PCOS decides she wants to become pregnant it may be very difficult. Lack of ovulation is usually the reason for fertility problems in women with PCOS. Missed periods may also become a concern. Most people with PCOS do not have regular periods and may not even know when it is the best time for them to try for a baby.
Once PCOS is diagnosed a woman has many choices to take on her journey to get pregnant.
If you want to get pregnant you may be offered the following conventional treatments:
- The fertility drug clomifene is usually the first step, as it can stimulate ovulation. If it doesn’t work then you may be offered gonadotrophins. However, gonadotrophins are more likely to overstimulate your ovaries and cause you to have a multiple pregnancy.
- If you are obese or resistant to clomifene, the diabetes drug metformin may help. It increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin so your insulin and your testosterone levels fall. This helps your body to ovulate normally. This is a controversial treatment as the benefits may not outweigh the risks. It has unpleasant side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, but may help if used in combination with clomifene.
- Surgery on your ovaries. A technique called laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) can help some women to conceive if clomifene hasn’t worked for them. LOD is an effective, lower risk alternative to gonadotrophins.
Some woman with PCOS may need to be started on another drug along side their fertility medication to simulate a period. Since many woman with PCOS do not have a regular period they must be induced or brought on by the use of a medication. This will help the woman know exactly what dates to take her fertility medication and help her better cart her cycles. Provera is a common drug a lot of doctors prescribe woman to induce a period. Provera is derived from the female hormone progesterone.
Try to keep your lifestyle as healthy as possible. Losing weight before you conceive can also reduce your risk of weight-related pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes. Starting pregnancy at a healthy weight, and managing your weight during pregnancy, is also better for your baby, as it reduces his risk of all the health problems in later life that are related to obesity.
The best advice given by most doctors for woman trying to conceive on fertility drugs is to stay mellow. If a woman’s body gets stressed the chances of her conceiving may become less. And while it may be hard to not become depressed after months on fertility drugs, the best advice is to think positive. It may take months to a year to become pregnant with PCOS, but for most it does happen. One source said that women with PCOS have an 80-90 percent chance of having a baby, but I was unable to find any research studies to back this up. While some women with polycystic ovarian syndrome will not be able to get pregnant, I believe that the majority can and do eventually have healthy babies.
At Welling Clinic, we offer a completely safe and natural way to conceive in the shortest time duration through our in-house researched & developed HANC treatment protocol. Each cycle being of 6 months, unlike artificial methods, we get 6 chances to help you conceive naturally. Homeopathy medicines will also help in regularizing your menses and getting healthy ovulation.