The Good News is that studies have found that women with or without PCOS bear the same number of children. Although it can be a bit difficult for women with PCOS. But at the end of the day, all that matters is that you have a healthy baby to call your own.
Introduction—What is PCOS?
PCOS is a condition that affects every 5th woman and, in some places, every 10th woman of childbearing age. Women with PCOS have problems and can face a delay in getting pregnant. These delays can last for an indefinite period of time. As these problems can vary, infertility, irregular menstruation, and, in some cases, ovarian cysts are a few of them.
Although women with PCOS can get pregnant, but it’s not easy and takes a lot of trying and sometimes medication. As compared to women without PCOS who can easily get pregnant, especially in their period window. But researches show that women with or without PCOS can have an equal number of children but the previous ones require some treatments according to their specific case. As PCOS can delay your pregnancy, but in many cases, it won’t result in complete infertility and inability to bear children throughout life.
If you’re diagnosed with PCOS and want to get pregnant, then nothing is impossible in life. All you need is to follow a few guidelines according to your particular case. Because PCOS has various reasons that lead to different treatments, but stick to it that
“Nothing is impossible”
Moreover, to treat your problem, first you need to understand it.
What is PCOS—How to Know the Severity of Your Situation?
PCOS is a hormonal condition that affects women. It can cause infertility, irregular periods and acne.
PCOS is not a disease and can be treated with lifestyle changes and medication if necessary.
- Diagnosing PCOS
This condition is simple to diagnose as it is a hormonal imbalance which manifests as irregular menstrual cycles. Sometimes, facial hair, acne, cramps and abnormal flow can also be a symptom of PCOS.
Out of the various symptoms of PCOS, a few easily diagnosable are;
1. Irregular period cycle (because you don’t ovulate or ovulate occasionally)
2. Excessive hair growth on face and body together with acne and thinning of hair on the head (a high level of male hormones called androgens).
3. Polycystic ovaries (a condition which occurs when small egg sacs on your ovaries get filled with fluid, known as cysts).
4. Menstrual Disorder (irregular flow, cramps and unbearable abdominal pain during cycle)
- Effects
Once you ovulate, the egg stays in the uterine tube for 12-24 hours. If it gets fertilized by sperm during this time, you will be pregnant. Otherwise, the egg will shed with the cycle. And when you ovulate irregularly or occasionally, your chances of getting pregnant reduces.
In other conditions, hormonal imbalances can affect the quality of the cervical fluid, making it nearly impossible for the sperm to survive.
Researches also show that being overweight can affect the capability of releasing eggs during the menstrual cycle. Hence, causing further difficulties in getting pregnant even with the help of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization).
If you are diagnosed with PCOS, and facing its adverse effects there is nothing to worry about. As with improving your lifestyle, you can get pregnant.
- Suggestions
Your Doctor will probably suggest that you take a few tests: blood work and an ultrasound scan. He will also want to know about any other medical problems that may be contributing to your infertility and what kinds of medications or treatments are safe for pregnant women with PCOS (if any).
PCOS does affect pregnancy
PCOS is a complex hormonal condition which results in high levels of Luteinising Hormone. The function of this hormone is to bring ovulation. Imbalance in this hormone can cause infertility. This is because it can cause:
- Anovulation (lack of ovulating)
- Infertility or oligoovulation (low egg production)
- Male-like characteristics in female (like facial hair and baldness)
Getting pregnant with PCOS.
It’s undoubtedly a sigh of relief that if you do have PCOS and you want to get pregnant, you can achieve it but with trying a bit harder than others (without PCOS).
- First thing you should do after getting diagnosed with PCOS is consult your health care provider and start your treatment right away. It is difficult, but not impossible. Your health care provider will suggest your treatment for your specific case. It will regular your cycle or suggest medication to help you ovulate regularly.
- In case of being overweight, all you need to do is shed a few pounds. Studies show that you don’t necessarily have to become a skinny model in order to get pregnant. All you need to do is shed 5% of your excess weight. This you can easily do by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
- Consult with a reproductive endocrinologist about how to best treat PCOS symptoms in order for you to get pregnant more easily.
- This process includes lifestyle changes such as losing weight or cutting down on alcohol consumption, smoking, and other unhealthy habits.
Can insulin resistance cause infertility?
Insulin resistance is a condition that PCOS can cause, but it’s not the only cause. Insulin resistance is also linked to other conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
If you have insulin resistance and are trying to get pregnant with PCOS, you may have trouble becoming pregnant because there aren’t any medications available specifically for this condition. However, there are some medications that suppress your body’s production of testosterone so that your eggs can mature properly inside your ovaries. Consult your health care provider for further and detailed discussion.
Treating infertility due to PCOS.
In order to treat infertility due to PCOS, you will need to take birth control pills or use an IUD. You will also need to take medication that helps lower insulin levels.
In addition, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes such as losing weight and exercising more frequently.
All Is Well That Ends Well
If you are diagnosed with PCOS, there are still ways for you to get pregnant as long as you go to the doctor and take care of yourself.
However, if your doctor has told you that it is not possible for you to become pregnant naturally, then he or she will probably recommend fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
IVF is a course of injections. It helps to stimulate the ovaries and, as a result, they produce multiple eggs. When they’re mature, they retrieve the eggs in an ultrasound-guided procedure under light anaesthetic. Further, they add sperm to the eggs in the laboratory for embryos to form.
After a few days, when embryos are formed, they place an embryo in the uterus where it would possibly implant, making you pregnant with a healthy embryo.
While IVF is safe in the hands of specialists, with a few side effects. But as long as you are looking at the results, these complications don’t matter at all.
After all, at the end of the day, all that matters is your health and a healthy child.
Thus, if you are trying to get pregnant while having PCOS, don’t forget that everything else matters if you matter. So value yourself and focus on your health. Adopt a healthy life style. Stay positive and seek treatment for any complications that may interfere with your happiness.
