Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility: Symptoms, Treatment, and More
It is observed that 1 in 10 women who are of childbearing age suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome. PCOS often causes metabolism problems and hormonal imbalances in these women. It is also a very common and treatable reason for infertility in women.
PCOS can also affect the overall health and appearance of women suffering from this condition. This blog on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and fertility discusses the different symptoms, treatments, and lifestyle changes women with PCOS can consider to improve fertility.
Read Further: Is PCOS Affecting Your Fertility: All You Need to Know Now
What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)?
While discussing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and fertility, it is important to explain what PCOS is. It is a chronic condition caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. This condition affects women in their reproductive age and causes hormonal imbalances, excess androgen levels, irregular periods, and cysts in the ovaries.
PCOS usually has its onset during the adolescence of a woman. With PCOS, ovaries may not develop and release an egg each month thus affecting ovulation and leading to infertility. Though the cause of PCOS is not known, women with a family history of type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing the condition than others.
Connection Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility
These are how PCOS impacts ovulation and conception:
- PCOS causes the levels of androgens like testosterone to rise and interfere with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries.
- In PCOS, ovaries develop multiple small follicles without full maturation, preventing ovulation.
- Irregular ovulation leads to irregular menstrual cycles, long cycles, and missed periods, making it hard to identify fertile windows.
- Insulin resistance with PCOS worsens hormonal imbalances and harms ovulation.
While analyzing the PCOS infertility rate, It is necessary to note that the condition affects around 8-13% of women of reproductive age. Around 70% of them worldwide remain undiagnosed. We can conclude that from its prevalence, the PCOS infertility rate is between 70 and 80%.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility: Best Age to Get Pregnant with PCOS
PCOS can put a woman at higher risk of complicated pregnancy. However, medications and treatments can help. It has been observed that the medication clomiphene citrate helped 80% of PCOS-affected women to ovulate successfully. About half of the women conceived naturally.
Doctors may recommend IVF treatment if medications don’t help. IVF treatment creates about a 20-40% chance of pregnancy in women with PCOS. However, these women experience higher risks of gestational diabetes because of insulin resistance.
Though there is no best age to get pregnant with PCOS, Women 35 years and older have a lower chance of getting pregnant. A natural decline in fertility with aging can make getting pregnant with PCOS after 30 very challenging.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility: How to Get Pregnant with PCOS Quickly
There following are a few effective ways to manage PCOS and improve fertility. These points also answer how to get pregnant with PCOS quickly:
- Lifestyle Changes to Manage Weight
The risks of long-term complications related to PCOS in overweight women could be improved with weight loss. Just 5% weight loss in such women can improve PCOS.
- Eating a Balanced Diet
You can rely on the specific dietary advice from a dietitian to add portions of fruits, vegetables, whole foods, fish, meat, and chicken to your diet accordingly.
Read further: Fertility Foods: Your Guide to a Conception-friendly Diet
- Effectively Managing Stress
Stress management with meditation and mindfulness is one of the effective ways to manage PCOS and improve fertility.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility: PCOS Infertility Treatment
The following are some of the most common infertility treatment options for PCOS:
- Ovulation induction
- Clomiphene Citrate (CC)
It is the first-line treatment for women for whom ovulation is irregular or absent. Six months after CC treatment, over 73% of women have been observed to ovulate, 36% to become pregnant, and 29% to give birth.
- Aromatase Inhibitors (AI)
These drugs reduce the level of estrogen in the body and induce ovulation in a woman with PCOS. AIs, when taken with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), the woman’s ovarian follicles increase in number. Letrozole is a commonly used AI drug.
- Gonadotropin Therapy
Gonadotrophins are prescribed for women with PCOS when they fail to ovulate or conceive on clomiphene citrate. These drugs coupled with timed intercourse results in a pregnancy rate of 15% per cycle in women with PCOS.
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
IUI is a less invasive and cost-effective PCOS infertility treatment. The procedure involves placing a sperm directly in the woman’s uterus to improve pregnancy chances.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is a procedure for fertilizing the egg and sperm in a laboratory. This fertilized embryo is placed in the woman’s uterus several days after fertilization.
Read further: IVF (in Vitro Fertilization): Step-by-step IVF Procedure
How Credence IVF Hospital Stand by You for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility
Credence Hospital started as one of the most prominent assisted reproduction and IVF centers in South India in 2001. Today, we have a dedicated department for the diagnosis of infertility and assisted reproduction procedures like IVF.
Here, our experienced and compassionate physicians help you make educated decisions about assisted reproduction technologies such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), assisted hatching, embryo freezing, and intracytoplasmic sperm insertion (ICSI). We also offer donor programs to our patients. Contact us to learn more about treatment options for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Fertility:
- Phone: + 91 471 403 3333
- Email: info@credenceivf.com.
Read Further: Infertility Explained: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options
