Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

PCOS and infertility challenges part 2

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Having PCOS does not mean you can't get pregnant. PCOS is one of the most common, but treatable, causes of infertility in women. In women with PCOS, the hormonal imbalance interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). Without ovulation, it isn’t possible to get pregnant.

How to get treatment for infertility related to PCOS?

Talk to a fertility doctor about ways to help you ovulate and raise your chance of getting pregnant. You can also use an ovulation calculator to see which days in your menstrual cycle you are most likely to be fertile.

 

Treatments of PCOS to improve fertility

  • Losing weight. If you have overweight or obesity, losing weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity can help make your menstrual cycle more regular and improve your fertility. Find a personalized healthy eating plan.
  • Medicine. After ruling out other causes of infertility in you and your partner, your doctor might prescribe medicine to help you ovulate, such as clomiphene (Clomid).
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF may be an option if medicine does not work. In IVF, your egg is fertilized with your partner's sperm in a laboratory and then placed in your uterus to implant and develop. Compared to medicine alone, IVF has higher pregnancy rates and better control over your risk of having twins and triplets (by allowing your doctor to transfer a single fertilized egg into your uterus).
  • Surgery. Surgery is also an option, usually only if the other options do not work. The outer shell (called the cortex) of ovaries is thickened in women with PCOS and thought to play a role in preventing spontaneous ovulation. Ovarian drilling is a surgery in which the doctor makes a few holes in the surface of your ovary using lasers or a fine needle heated with electricity. Surgery usually restores ovulation, but only for 6 to 8 months.

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    PCOS and pregnancy complications

    PCOS can cause problems during pregnancy for you and for your baby. Women with PCOS have higher rates of 6:

    • Miscarriage
  • Gestational diabetes
  • Preeclampsia
  • Cesarean section (C-section)
  • Higher risk of a heavy baby (macrosomia) and of spending more time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

    • Sources: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome#:~:text=Having%20PCOS%20does%20not%20mean,you%20can't%20get%20pregnant.

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