PCOS and Fertility

6-12% of women of childbearing age have PCOS in the US₁. While people may think it’s a rare disease, it’s more common than many people think. On a global scale, it’s believed anywhere from 4-20% of women worldwide are suffering from PCOS₂. This is one of the most common issues for women’s infertility. Every single race and ethnicity can be impacted by PCOS. Getting pregnant with PCOS isn’t impossible. Knowing that, let’s look into what it is a bit more and what can be done.

PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a condition in which women produce high amounts of androgens. These are male sex hormones found in much smaller quantities naturally, in women.

With PCOS, there are some common symptoms you can be on the lookout for. As always, the symptoms themselves don’t mean you have it; rather, talk to your doctor about all you are experiencing and feeling for tests and a proper diagnosis. These are symptoms such as:

– No/irregular periods

– Hard time getting pregnant

– Weight gain

– Excessive hair growth

– Skins tags

– Oily skin and/or acne

PCOS doesn’t just cause problems externally or in ways you can see. Other ways PCOS can impact you are:

– Putting you at higher risk to develop diabetes type-2 due to;

– Increased insulin resistance

– Sleep apnea

– High blood pressure and cholesterol

– Depression/Anxiety

– Cysts

– Infertility

If you are overweight, the likelihood of you developing serious health complications is higher but…and it should be made clear – while being overweight is associated with PCOS, it’s possible to be of healthy weight and have PCOS just as it’s possible to be overweight and not have PCOS₃. The link is still not fully understood but it is worth mentioning.

PCOS is something that can impact a woman early in life. PCOS usually being after the first menstrual cycle ever and it can also develop in a woman’s 20’s or 30’s. While the exact reason why PCOS begins is still being understood, it is largely hereditary and the chances of having it are higher if it runs in a woman’s family. 

Knowing who PCOS impacts, what PCOS does, when PCOS occurs, and why it happens, how does it impact fertility and what can be done to mitigate issues?

PCOS impacts fertility by creating a hormonal imbalance, therefore, messing with the growth and the release and time of the egg₄.

Not ovulating = not getting pregnant.

Here are a few ways to tackle PCOS so you can increase the chances of a healthy fertility journey:

1: Diet & Exercise – not only is this great for any person in general, but when you have PCOS, one of the best ways to increase insulin sensitivity is to work out and start tailoring your diet towards foods that are low-glycemic on the glycemic index₅.

2: Start using a fertility tracking app to find patterns in your body’s ovulation process. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO BE ON FIBRA’S FERTILITY TRACKER WAITLIST!

3: Talk to your doctor about medications that can help jumpstart the ovulation process.

4: IVF (in-vitro fertilizarion)

If you do not plan on getting pregnant, hormonal birth control can regulate periods and hormone levels₆.

PCOS is a common hormonal issue that impacts millions of women worldwide. This impacts many women wanting to become pregnant and face trying times that can put a strain on them physically and mentally. If you don’t want to become pregnant and you have PCOS, hormonal birth control can help level hormones and protect you from becoming pregnant. 

If you want to become a mom and struggling with PCOS, the journey can be tough but not impossible. There is hope!

There is still much to learn but from what we do know if you want to get pregnant, changing lifestyle factors are going to be necessary by way of exercise and diet. Speak to your doctor about all alternatives and solutions. Get tested and see if there are any other potential health risks you face.

It’s hard. It really is. Try not to give up. Control the things you can. Confide in loved ones. Journal. Speak to your doctor.

And remember – you are loved and valued and cherished. 

References:

1: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/pcos.html#:~:text=What%20is%20PCOS%3F,US%20women%20of%20reproductive%20age.

2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9464521/#:~:text=The%20global%20prevalence%20of%20PCOS,by%20PCOS%20globally%20%5B4%5D.

3: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/pcos.html#:~:text=It’s%20common%20for%20women%20to,in%20the%2020s%20or%2030s.

4: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome#:~:text=PCOS%20is%20one%20of%20the%20most%20common%2C%20but%20treatable%2C%20causes,you%20can’t%20get%20pregnant.

5: https://examine.com/summaries/study/0O4mx9/

6: https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/pcos-and-fertility#treatments