TTC with PCOS FAQ
For women with PCOS, TTC (trying to conceive) can be a mysterious thing. Just how does one go about successfully achieving pregnancy when she’s got polycystic ovarian syndrome? Is it even possible? If you’re looking for answers to these questions and more, this FAQ may shed some light on the subject.
What is PCOS?
In a nutshell, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a mess of hormonal imbalances. These imbalances can cause a number of different symptoms, most commonly the ovarian cysts from which the condition takes its name. PCOS occurs in roughly 5 to 10 percent of women, and though treating it is difficult, it is ultimately a manageable condition.
How Does It Affect My Fertility?
Unfortunately, PCOS is the leading cause of infertility among women. The hormonal imbalances that make up the condition also lead to an inability to ovulate, irregular periods, and other problems that decrease fertility. For instance, one of the most common symptoms is insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate sugar levels in your system. With insulin resistance, the hormone simply can’t do its job that well, so when sugar levels rise, your body produces more insulin to make up for the inefficiency. When your body produces extra insulin, it also produces more androgens, which in turn block ovulation. PCOS can also lead to weight gain, among other symptoms that decrease your fertility significantly.
Is It Even Possible to Get Pregnant with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?
Thankfully, despite your fertility taking a massive hit from PCOS, it is still possible to get pregnant despite the condition. Through certain lifestyle changes, fertility drugs, and even more advanced medical procedures, your fertility can be improved enough to allow you to conceive.
What Do I Do First When Trying to Conceive?
If you’ve got PCOS and are TTC, the first and most important thing you should do is adapt your lifestyle to work around it. Many of the symptoms of PCOS can be managed through a few adjustments in the way you eat and treat yourself. For example, in order to get around insulin resistance, you can try going on a low glucose index or low-carbohydrate diet. By controlling the amount of sugar that goes into your system, you also control the amount of insulin your body produces, which may just be enough to allow for ovulation.
Regular exercise will become a must if you want to conceive. Another common symptom of PCOS is weight gain, and this can lead to irregular periods. By doing some light exercises on a regular basis, you can shed the extra pounds while keeping your stress levels low. This will promote regular menstruation and make your ovulation cycle more predictable.
Since taking care of your body is a major component of getting past PCOS, it only follows suit that you quit smoking and drinking alcohol. These two substances contribute to the effects of PCOS in multiple ways, so it’s best to cut them out of your system entirely. On that note, you can also try nutritional supplements that detoxify your system and increase the amount of essential vitamins and minerals you may be deficient in.
Of course, the very first thing you’ll want to do is consult your doctor or fertility expert regarding these changes. Trained professionals will be your best source of help in this department, and they’ll be able to determine which course of action will be the best for you to take. As always, try to get a second opinion elsewhere.
What About Fertility Drugs?
Sometimes, people make choices to go beyond the lifestyle changes mentioned above when they are trying to conceive with PCOS. If that’s the case, you’ll need to pay another visit to your doctor – this time regarding fertility drugs. There are several medications in the market that can help you improve your chances at getting pregnant. For example, metformin can help reduce the effects of insulin resistance, allowing you better chances of ovulating. You can also avail of drugs that make up for hormonal deficiencies in your system like Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, both of which play important roles in your cycles.
That doctor visit will be all the more important here, as they’ll know which prescriptions are best suited for your particular case. You’ll also want to play on the safe side and ask your doctor about the possible side effects that might come with the medication.
Else Can I Do to Achieve Conception?
If any sort of treatment doesn’t work, you can try Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling. This surgical procedure removes parts of your ovary in an attempt to promote regular periods. Given the drastic nature of the procedure, however, it should only be used as a last resort.
The case may be that you can ovulate fine, but other complications from PCOS may be preventing the fertilization of your egg. For this sort of problem, there are two common solutions: in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). IVF entails the extraction of a viable egg from your body, to be fertilized outside of your system. IUI, on the other hand, involves the direct injection of semen into your uterus in an effort to make fertilization easier. Both procedures have varying degrees of success, but see favorable results nonetheless.
