Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common causes of infertility, which can make it a scary diagnosis if you’re trying to conceive. Many patients wonder, Can I even get pregnant with PCOS? While PCOS does make conceiving more difficult, it’s also one of the most treatable causes of infertility.
Why It’s Hard to Get Pregnant With PCOS
When it comes to getting pregnant, your body is dependent on having the correct levels of hormones at every stage of the process. One of the defining characteristics of PCOS is hormonal imbalance, which causes your body to produce high levels of male hormones, called androgens, that interfere with your female reproductive hormones.
As a result, you may experience unpredictable ovulation, or you may not ovulate at all, making it difficult to get pregnant. Your egg needs to be fertilized within 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, and while sperm can live for several days in your reproductive tract, you still have just a short six-day window during each menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant.
If you experience irregular menstrual cycles due to PCOS, it becomes difficult to predict ovulation, and if you’ve stopped ovulating, getting pregnant is impossible.
How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant With PCOS
You may be surprised to learn that lifestyle changes alone are often enough to help you get pregnant with PCOS!
Lifestyle changes, which help improve overall health and regulate hormones, are worth making even if you end up seeking help from a fertility specialist. Your body will be in better shape, and you’ll be more likely to get pregnant.
Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you’re overweight, losing weight is one of the most effective ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant with PCOS. PCOS is linked to insulin resistance, disrupting your hormone levels. When you lose weight, your body is better able to use insulin and your hormones are more easily regulated.
Losing weight can be difficult when you have PCOS, but even small changes are beneficial. Stay away from fad diets and don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t lose weight quickly. Instead, commit to eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise.
Eat a Nutritious Diet
Because PCOS is linked to both insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, your diet has a big impact on PCOS symptoms. Sugary foods, simple carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and many animal proteins worsen PCOS symptoms, while a healthy diet focused on low-glycemic and plant-based foods, healthy fats, and lean proteins often improves PCOS.
A Mediterranean-style diet contains plenty of complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. But if you don’t want to follow a specific diet, the most important thing is to eat a variety of healthy foods and eliminate foods that are likely to make your PCOS worse. Learn more here about the best foods to eat for PCOS.
Exercise Regularly
Getting regular physical activity reduces insulin resistance, improves PCOS symptoms, and makes it less likely you’ll experience pregnancy complications. Regular exercise also reduces symptoms of depression and helps you feel better physically and emotionally.
Finding activities you enjoy makes exercise more fun, so consider picking up a sport, dancing, walking to your favorite places, or hiking in beautiful scenery. You can also build physical activity into your daily routine (such as making trips up the stairs), or get a gym membership.
You should try to exercise most days, and aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. You may need to increase the amount of time you exercise if you need to lose weight, but it’s always best to talk to your doctor about the right amount of exercise for you.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Our bodies are more dependent on natural rhythms than we think, and getting enough sleep affects both egg quality and ovulation. Your body doesn’t produce enough melatonin if you have irregular sleep cycles, and reduced melatonin levels are a common problem in those with PCOS.
If possible, avoid working the night shift, turn off artificial lighting at night, and develop a regular nighttime routine that allows you to get plenty of sleep. Many people with PCOS also have sleep apnea, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you experience symptoms of snoring, daytime sleepiness, and dry mouth.
Treatments That Can Help You Get Pregnant With PCOS
In addition to lifestyle changes, the following fertility treatments can help you get pregnant with PCOS:
- Ovulation induction Medication or injections will be given to help you ovulate.
- Surgery. A physician uses a needle to make small holes in the surface of your ovary to temporarily restore ovulation.
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI). IUI involves stimulating ovulation, then directly inserting sperm into your uterus with a catheter.
- In vitro fertilization (IVF). Your eggs(or donor eggs) are retrieved and fertilized with sperm to create embryos that are transferred into your uterus.
PCOS is a common cause of infertility, but treatment is available and RHWC is here to help! Schedule an appointment with our team today to discuss your fertility goals.
At Reproductive Health and Wellness Center, we are experts at treating fertility issues. We provide the latest in cutting-edge embryo science by using the latest technologies, and we create innovative fertility plans tailored specifically to each individual. But we’re so much more.