If this doesn’t work, there may be other reasons why pregnancy can’t be achieved and more invasive treatments such as IVF may be needed. This involves a course of tablets or injections to stimulate the ovaries to release an egg that can be fertilised, either during intercourse or through intra-uterine insemination (IUI). The first line of medical treatment is ovulation induction. If you have very irregular or only sporadic periods, this is an indication you are not ovulating and need medical help to have a baby. Your GP is your first port of call, but she might refer you to a fertility specialist. If you have tried for a baby for 12 months without success (or six months if you are aged 35 or over) it’s time to seek medical advice.

Women's fertility: does 'egg timer' testing work, and what are the other options?

Overall, women with and without PCOS have a similar number of children. For those who know they ovulate, having sex during the “ fertile window” (the five days leading up to and including ovulation) boosts the chance of conception. This is also an opportunity to discuss a plan of action in case the PCOS causes fertility difficulties.įor women with PCOS who are overweight or obese, a modest weight loss sometimes results in more regular ovulation, which increases the chance of pregnancy. To get the right kind of advice and support, women planning to get pregnant should have a preconception health check with their GP. They had trouble finding up-to-date, relevant and reliable information.Įxplainer: what is polycystic ovary syndrome?Īs for all women, being in the best possible health before trying for a baby increases the chance of pregnancy and gives the baby the best start in life.Īccording to the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of PCOS, adopting a healthy lifestyle – including being in the healthy weight range, not smoking, cutting back on alcohol, eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of regular exercise and enough sleep – is the first thing to do to improve a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant and having a healthy baby. They also wanted to know how best to prepare for pregnancy and what they should do before trying to conceive. Their greatest worry was about whether they would be able to get pregnant. They talked about their concerns about pregnancy and what they could do to improve their chances of falling pregnant, the sort of information they would like about fertility and PCOS, and when they would like to receive this information. In a recent study by Monash University, women with PCOS took part in an online discussion group. While most women who have PCOS become pregnant, they often take longer to fall pregnant and are more likely to need fertility treatment than women without PCOS. So women with PCOS are more likely to have trouble conceiving than other women. This causes tiny cysts on the surface of the ovaries.ĭue to these hormonal imbalances, women with PCOS often have irregular menstrual cycles because they don’t ovulate or ovulate only occasionally. Women with PCOS also have an underproduction of oestrogen (“female” hormones) and an overproduction of androgens (“male” hormones). Most women with PCOS have elevated levels of a type of hormone called luteinising hormone, which brings about ovulation, and reduced levels of a hormone called “follicle stimulating hormone”, which is essential for pubertal development and the function of women’s ovaries and men’s testes. PCOS is a complex hormonal condition which affects up to one in five women of reproductive age. But women who have a chronic health condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often have concerns about childbearing, including whether they can become pregnant.

Most women want and expect to have children.

Vitex and pcos success story