Well Pregnant » PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Mary White — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 07:47:31 +0000

Causes of polycystic ovarian syndrome

When it comes to getting pregnant, many issues of why an unsuccessful pregnancy happens. Women along with their partners strive their best to have a baby and yet they get desperate and moreover disappointed due to the fact that natural causes that are inside them are the main reasons why they are not able to get pregnant. One of this causes is a polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a very common cause of women not getting pregnant. This is an endocrine disorder meaning that some glands inside the human body is unable to secrete hormones into the bloodstream for it to regulate the body thus leading to the ovarian problem. There was a study made that from 5% to 10% of women who are in the reproductive age which are from ages 12 to 45 have this syndrome.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome AKA PCOS

PCOS can likely be inherited genetically and can also be caused by natural factors. If you have a polycystic ovarian syndrome then it is also likely that either your mother or also your sister can have that problem. To understand this, there are cysts that were developed in your ovaries and this will cause not to have those healthy eggs and as a result an unsuccessful conception will likely be taking place.

Another natural cause is when the blood sugar in your body is not functioning well. Women who have insulin resistance and high insulin levels have this polycystic ovarian syndrome. There were also researches that women who produce male hormones which are called androgens can cause to have PCOS. This results to an unusual insulin production due to the disproportionate male hormones that the body produces.

When an excessive production of hormone LH is produced then this is again a cause of polycystic ovarian syndrome which are released from the pituitary gland in the brain. Also the low level of chronic inflammation in the body can also cause PCOS. It can be too that these causes are the same causes that your mother and sister can have.

What is best to do when you have this syndrome is to have yourself checked so that you can have you doctor have an immediate action to it and save you from not being able to get pregnant. It is best to have yourself checked this early for signs if there aren’t any or if there are then it can still be treated so that it will not anymore spread out further to your ovaries.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome

Improve chances to get pregnant with PCOS

Mary White — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:09:49 +0000

There is one out of ten women who suffer from PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome. This condition is the most usual cause of infertility problems and ovulation failure in pre-menopausal women. Many women that have this condition are worried if they can get pregnant with PCOS. Many who have PCOS and tried conceiving had experienced difficulties in carrying the baby in full term.

There are many things you can do to help get higher chances to get pregnant with PCOS. These involve improving your over-all health and your lifestyle. It is also best to consult your physician or your gynaecologist always.

Researchers of this syndrome have found out that being overweight can affect fertility and stop ovulation. It was established that most of the women having PCOS are overweight. Excess weight can cause hormonal imbalance, a rise in male hormone testosterone and a resistance to insulin. Losing the excess weight is necessary to get pregnant with PCOS because your body will require less insulin thus reducing testosterone levels in your body. This will help you achieve regular periods. Weight loss among PCOS sufferers improved their menstrual cycle up to 82 percent. Weight loss also improved their chances of getting pregnant normally.

If you are suffering with PCOS, you need to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to achieve and stay at the desired weight. When you are planning to get pregnant, consult your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet. Eating the proper diet is a must to all PCOS sufferers. Make sure that you are getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals. Proper diet means eating fruits and vegetables; getting your protein from beans, lentils, soya products and chickpeas instead from meat; eating more fibre; avoiding alcohol, sugar and caffeine and products with preservatives; cutting down on dairy products, fast foods and red meat; eating complex carbohydrates like whole wheat and brown rice and drinking lots of fluids.

There are also supplements that can help you with PCOS by alleviating hormonal imbalance and weight loss. Consult your doctor before taking any of these supplements most especially when you are in hormonal replacement therapy or fertility treatments. Minerals such as magnesium and chromium may help you lose weight and reduce insulin resistance. Vitamin B complex enhances metabolism and maintain proper thyroid functions. Chasteberry helps lessen the risk of miscarriages of persons with PCOS by regulating the pituitary gland to release certain hormones. Saw palmetto lessens testosterone levels thus improve menstrual cycle.

Medical treatments for PCOS are also available to help in conceiving. Clomiphone is administered to persons with PCOS to help in stimulating the ovaries. There are sexual positions that can also help increase chances of getting pregnant even with PCOS.

PCOS and Infertility

Mary White — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:39:51 +0000

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the main reasons for infertility problems in women. It is believed that due to excessive insulin production in some women their bodies respond by producing high levels of male hormones or androgens. Women with PCOC are insulin resistant which leads to diabetes.

During a women’s normal menstrual cycle, several follicles develop within the ovaries. Each follicle contains an egg. As the menstrual cycle continues, only one follicle will remain which will produce the egg during ovulation. After the egg has matured, LH levels will surge causing the egg to burst from the follicle thus causing ovulation. Because women with PCOS do not normally produce enough female hormones necessary for ovulation, these follicles do not mature to become eggs. Some follicles may develop into cysts.

PCOS may show up on an ultra sound as a “string of pearls” within the ovary. This “string of pearls” are the follicles that have not developed. The ovaries will typically have several small cysts covering the outside. Because ovulation does not occur, progesterone is not produced which is what causes the lining of the uterus to thicken.

Some symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome include the absence or an irregular period. As a woman gets older, PCOS can become worse. Some women may ovulate irregularly as well as not at all. Five to ten percent of women of childbearing age have PCOS. Most women are unaware that they have it. In fact, less the twenty-five percent of women with PCOS have been diagnosed.

Some women are lucky enough to conceive during an irregular ovulation cycle. Other symptoms include increased hair growth on back, chest or face, thinning hair, obesity, high insulin levels or type two diabetes, acne or pelvic pain. Symptoms for PCOS vary with each woman. Some women only have an irregular period as a symptom.

Obviously PCOS affects a woman’s ability to conceive because of a lack of ovulation. But, there are several steps that can be taken to correct the problem. Some women can simply treat their PCOS by losing weight. Weight loss can sometimes help to improve hormone imbalances.

Metformin is a drug that improves the body’s ability to absorb insulin. It is considered safe to use on women who do not have diabetes because it affects insulin levels and does not actually lower blood sugar directly. Clomid or other fertility drugs are often used in the treatment of infertility relating to PCOS.

Clomid blocks estrogen receptors in the brain. With these receptors blocked, the brain thinks there are low estrogen levels. Low estrogen levels trigger the body to produce more FSH and LH which signal the body to ovulate. Even though Clomid is often successful at bringing about ovulation, only thirty to forty percent of the women who do ovulate from Clomid will actually become pregnant.

In vitro Maturation (IVM) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) is also options for women with PCOS. In vitro maturation is a procedure where immature eggs are harvested early in a woman’s cycle. The eggs are then matured in a laboratory and afterwards can be used for fertilization. In vitro fertilization harvests the eggs after they are already mature. The eggs are then fertilized and implanted in the woman’s uterus.

IVF treatments also include medications that help the eggs develop. IVM is helpful for women who do not respond to drug therapy.