What is PCOS?
Let us start from the beginning and get a better understanding of what PCOS is. This is a short form of polycystic-ovarian-syndrome, a very common condition that has been found to be a leading source of infertility in women. A hormone condition, which affects your reproductive system. But in this article, we shall discuss on how to get pregnant with PCOS.
Having PCOS means your ovaries are slightly larger than the norm. With the big ovaries, they tend to have several tiny cysts that have immature eggs. Now, this makes it hard for you to get pregnant.
But if you have this condition, it does not mean it is the end of the world. Many ladies have been able to be expectant with PCOS, all you need to do is make a few life changes and get some fertility drugs. And for some women, they have been found they will need IVF treatment. But a significant number of women with the condition have gotten pregnant with the use of low tech fertility treatments.
What are the causes of PCOS?
With all the studies that have been carried out, the exact cause of PCOS is not known. It might be a genetic condition, if one of your relatives suffer from the disease, then you are likely to have it. But the symptoms of PCOS have been linked to hormone levels that are found in your body.
– With PCOS, you have a little more testosterone, and this is why you would notice some facial hair.
– Also, your body might not be responding to insulin effectively. Thus, the level of glucose in your body is much higher. And with high levels of insulin leads to weight gain and fertility problems.
Some of the symptoms of PCOS
If you have PCO it does not automatically mean you have PCOS; you need to have some symptoms discussed below.
– Your periods are irregular or none at all.
– You might have noticed you have more body or facial hair.
– With more hair witnessed on your body, you have less on your head.
– Oily or acne-prone skin.
– You struggle with losing weight, or you have experienced some rapid weight gain.
– It has been challenging to get pregnant.
You might have experienced some of these symptoms, but these tend to vary from woman to woman as some might have severe symptoms while other mild ones. All in all, there is a solution to this condition, just a few lifestyle changes and some fertility drugs might get you that bun in the oven.
Keep reading to find out more.
How to get pregnant with PCOS
Below are some of the options you could look into to improve your fertility.
1. Losing weight
Most women who struggle with PCOS also struggle with obesity; because your body tends to affect how you process insulin negatively. Thus, causing some weight gain. And when you have PCOS you either ovulate irregularly or don’t ovulate at all, making it hard to get pregnant.
And when we combine this with weight, it makes it all difficult to conceive.
But studies have been conducted and found, if you lost some weight, it might help in bringing back your ovulation. We are not saying to lose all the weight, aim to lose about 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. It might be enough to jump-start your menstrual cycle.
The only downside to this, it is not proven this alone will help you conceive. But if you couple this with fertility drugs it increases your chances. So when you lose a few pounds and get on these drugs, it generally increases your chances of getting pregnant, meaning there is a small connection between PCOS weight loss.
The journey for losing shedding some kilos is not easy for anyone, and it might be more difficult if you have PCOS. Remember, not all women who have PCOS are actually overweight; if this is your current situation, then losing weight might not be the solution.
2. Take a look at your diet
For any woman trying to get pregnant, whether or not they have the PCOS condition, they need to ensure they are eating healthy. And when you have PCOS, this becomes a severe factor to look into. PCOS increases your chances of being overweight as your body has difficulty regulating the insulin levels. Ensure that your diet is always rich in nutrients, has adequate protein and low on sugar foods. Try and avoid junk and processed food as much as you can.
Some dieting tips you can follow on how to get pregnant with PCOS
– As we know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, ensure you eat a bigger healthy breakfast and a much smaller dinner as you are just going to bed.
– Your diet should have more vegetables and proteins.
– When eating carbohydrates have a complex type of cabs, this is the likes of whole beans and grains.
– When eating sweets or high sugar foods, try and combine this with healthy fats. That is olive oil, some avocadoes on the side and nuts, or you could up your protein intake. This way, you will slow down the sugar spike.
3. Try and incorporate regular exercise
It has also been found having regular exercise has improved the PCOS symptoms. If you can do simple brisk walking and include a healthy diet, it could improve your menstrual cycle by 50 percent. But it is not proven that exercise and diet alone can help you conceive. But when you incorporate a healthy lifestyle, it can go a long way in the success off your fertility treatments.
What are the chances of getting pregnant?
This must be the next question going through your mind if you have PCOS. It has been found that about 30 percent of women with the condition have no problem with getting pregnant, but about 70 percent might experience some difficulties. The good thing is, with a few life changes and the fertility treatments, which are available, increases your chances of getting pregnant.
