PCOS, short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, can be mentally and physically an overwhelming diagnosis for women. It’s a common hormonal problem in women of childbearing age. The biggest challenge women with PCOS face is difficulty getting pregnant naturally. Since the hormonal imbalance affects your ovulation and disrupts the menstrual cycle, it can affect your ability to conceive.
With proper diagnosis and prompt care, it’s possible to not just balance your hormones but get pregnant and enjoy a normal life. If you are diagnosed with PCOS or have symptoms that indicate this hormonal condition, book your free consultation with Australian Concept’s fertility specialists. We’ll help you figure out the issue and find the most feasible course of treatment for you.
A normal, healthy woman ovulates around the 14th day of her menstrual cycle. That’s the time when she’s the most fertile and is highly likely to get pregnant if she has unprotected sexual intercourse. That’s, however, not the case for every woman. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, it may be hard to pinpoint the date you will ovulate.
PCOS affects how your ovaries work. It can create fluid-filled cysts on the ovaries and spike androgen levels, which can bring unwanted symptoms. The condition doesn’t just affect your hormonal balance; its symptoms are visible on your skin, weight, mood, and overall health. Moreover, it plays a role in increasing your risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular health issues.
Let’s check out a few common symptoms of PCOS in females.
The PCOS symptoms may or may not be present in each case. In fact, the lack of noticeable symptoms is one of the reasons why many cases of PCOS go undiagnosed until the woman plans pregnancy.
As mentioned earlier, women with PCOS have a reproductive hormone imbalance, which makes it difficult for them to conceive. Let’s understand how PCOS is linked to hormonal imbalance.
Many women with PCOS develop insulin resistance — a condition in which your body produces insulin but doesn’t use it the way it’s supposed to. Insulin resistance puts you at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and heart problems in the long run.
Androgen is a male hormone. When it’s produced in more than normal amounts in a woman’s body, it can lead to hyperandrogenism, which can affect your ovulation cycle. It’s also responsible for certain PCOS symptoms, like unwanted hair growth on the body, hair thinning and hair loss (alopecia), acne, and more. Studies have shown that 60-80 percent of women with PCOS have hyperandrogenism.
Another hormonal imbalance symptom of PCOS is low progesterone. Normal levels of progesterone indicate proper ovulation and good chances of embryo implantation if the woman plans pregnancy. Progesterone thickens your uterine lining, prepping it for implantation. It also plays a part in your ovulation cycle. PCOS causes a drop in your progesterone level, which affects ovulation and your chances of conception. Estrogen, on the other hand, spikes in women with PCOS.
Australian Concept is a reputable fertility clinic with professionals who offer personalized treatment to each patient. We know PCOS symptoms can vary from patient to patient. Some may report severe symptoms with difficulty getting pregnant, while others may not even know they have it until they fail when trying to conceive. While PCOS can’t be cured, its symptoms can be managed, and pregnancy can be achieved.
Based on your fertility goals, your doctor will prescribe medication to help manage your PCOS symptoms. Medicine for PCOS primarily focuses on regulating your progesterone and estrogen levels, lowering the amount of androgen produced by your body.
Here are your options:
Birth Control Pills: If you don’t plan on getting pregnant soon, you can consider birth control pills, which are available in shots, patches, and pill form. IUD devices also work. These help stabilize your hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, and prevent body hair growth.
Insulin-Sensitizing Medicine: This medication can control PCOS-induced insulin resistance and is also used in people with type 2 diabetes. Insulin-sensitizing medication, such as metformin, is commonly used to lower insulin and androgen levels.
Androgen Blockers: Anti-androgen medication blocks the effects of excess male hormones, such as testosterone, in a woman’s body. This controls symptoms like excess hair growth all over the body, acne, and male-pattern baldness.
Clomid and Gonadotropins: These are ovulation-stimulating medications used in women with irregular or absent ovulation. They stimulate your ovaries to release eggs and regulate your ovulation to increase the chances of conception.
A proper, balanced diet with a healthy lifestyle can also play a part in managing your PCOS symptoms. Here’s what helps:
PCOS can lead to weight gain. Following a healthy exercise and diet regimen can help you shed those extra pounds, which can help with insulin resistance and excess androgen.
Your PCOS treatment plan may include dietary adjustments, such as limiting your intake of GI foods, carbs, processed foods, and large meals. Your diet should instead include anti-inflammatory and fiber-rich foods.
Chronic stress can worsen PCOS symptoms. Increased cortisol levels are linked to disrupted hormonal balance. Yoga, meditation, and exercise are a few ways to de-stress your mind.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your menstrual cycle and look for body hair, acne, hair loss, and other physical symptoms. Here’s what else can help with diagnosis.
PCOS Blood Tests: It detects hormone levels, particularly androgen.
Ultrasound: An ultrasound detects enlarged ovaries with multiple follicles containing immature eggs. It also checks your uterine lining.
The most common question women ask is, can I get pregnant with PCOS? Fortunately, yes. However, due to irregular ovulation, you will need ovulation-stimulating medication to trigger your ovaries to release mature eggs, which can be fertilized and implanted into your uterus. You may also need progesterone shots to thicken your uterine lining.
IVF is an assisted reproductive technology performed when all non-invasive PCOS treatments have failed. To achieve pregnancy, you can opt for this procedure, which combines your egg with your partner’s sperm outside your womb. The resulting embryo is implanted back into your uterus.
PCOS doesn’t just affect your fertility, but it can cause many long-term complications if left undiagnosed and untreated. Here are some long-term PCOS side effects.
PCOS symptoms are not just physically challenging, but they can affect your mood and self-esteem and increase your risk of developing anxiety and depression. Remember, PCOS treatment varies depending on your symptoms and whether you want pregnancy.
It’s advisable to seek medical help from fertility specialists and gynecologists to get personalized PCOS treatment. We at ACIMC are a team of professional and qualified obstetricians and IVF specialists. We can help you conceive despite challenging PCOS symptoms. Book your consultation with us by calling or texting us, and we’ll contact you soon.
Irregular periods, acne, and oily skin are a few early signs of PCOS.
No, it’s a chronic medical condition that can’t be cured.
Yes, you can get pregnant with PCOS.
Genetics, hormonal imbalance, obesity, and several environmental factors can affect your risk of developing PCOS.
Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, such as controlling hair growth on the body, dealing with hair thinning and hair loss, and regulating menstrual and ovulation cycles.
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The Australian Concept Infertility Medical Center Lahore “Australian Concept” was established in 1998 with Australian technical collaboration in Karachi, Pakistan.