Many women are under the impression that they cannot get pregnant after a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
The good news is….this is not true!
PCOS can be a common cause of infertility or impaired fertility, but it CAN be treated. Many women who have PCOS do not ovulate (release an egg) at all or do not ovulate regularly due to hormonal imbalances. Women who have been diagnosed with PCOS can go on to have completely normal, healthy pregnancies and deliveries.
We help many women with PCOS achieve pregnancy!
Common myths about pregnancy and PCOS:
- “I can’t get pregnant if I have PCOS”
- “I can’t get pregnant if I am not having regular cycles”
- “I will be a high-risk pregnancy if I have PCOS”
It is true that PCOS may make it more difficult to get pregnant initially, but there are many ways in which women can manage and improve fertility and the chance of pregnancy. Some things to help improve fertility outcomes include:
- Healthy diet, exercise and weight loss if overweight
- Getting 8 hours of sleep at night (sleep helps regulate our hormones!)
- Using a menstrual calendar and ovulation predictor kits
- Timing intercourse according to ovulation predictor kits
There are many ways in which Women’s Excellence can help women who have been previously diagnosed with PCOS achieve pregnancy. Some of the services we can offer are:
- In office lab testing and ultrasounds
- Reviewing menstrual cycles and ovulation timing
- Discussing supplements that can be helpful for women and men while trying to conceive
- Testing to determine any other causes of infertility or sub-fertility
- Medications to enhance or induce ovulation
When a woman becomes pregnant who has PCOS the pregnancy usually progresses as any other normal pregnancy. There is a slight increased risk for gestational diabetes for women with PCOS but generally without other risk factors the pregnancies are uncomplicated and not considered high risk.