Do you suffer from PCOS and dream about getting pregnant? So what are your chances of conceiving with PCOS?
Although it is difficult to give statistics as cases vary so much and different treatments have different success rates, the majority of women with PCOS will be able to have a baby with fertility treatment.
You can increase your chances of getting pregnant with the following of treatment options:
- Eating healthy eating and exercise.
- Maintaining a healthy weight can help to regulate your cycle, improve the frequency of ovulation, lower androgen levels and thereby improve your fertility. Even a 5-10% loss in weight has been shown to significantly increase the chance of becoming pregnant.
- Metformin and other diabetes medications can help regulate the amount of insulin in your blood, research suggests that these medications may help with fertility, so ask your doctor if it’s right for you.
- Fertility medications may help symptoms of PCOS in an attempt to temporarily assist with ovulation. One disadvantage of having PCOS and getting pregnant with fertility drugs is that these drugs tend to work in only one cycle. A developing follicle may take up to three cycles to grow and mature. This means the egg has gone through early growth stages in an abnormal hormonal environment, which may result in a poor quality egg.
- Ovarian drilling in this surgical procedure, the doctor inserts a thin needle through the abdomen (laparoscopically) and cauterizes (burns) small areas of the ovaries to lower the levels of male hormones they produce. The idea behind the procedure is to help improve ovulation, but studies show the results of ovarian drilling are inconsistent and not all practitioners recommend this treatment for PCOS.
- IVF Procedures, the link between PCOS and IVF is successful. A large majority of women with PCOS, that have not gotten pregnant with other treatments will be able to get pregnant and have a baby with IVF (in vitro fertilization) if they are under 40 and do their IVF at a high-quality clinic.
Important information:
- Women with PCOS have a higher likelihood of having a cesarean section because their children may be older than expected for gestational age.
- If you suffer from PCOS and you are pregnant, it is important to talk to your doctor. The risk of these complications can be reduced by observing symptoms of PCOS and taking more care during pregnancy.
