Can a woman with PCOS get pregnant?
One of the most common questions from women who are
newly diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome is "Will I ever
get pregnant?"
There are not many specific studies regarding female infertility and PCOS - likely because
it is so hard to track those who are successful in getting pregnant without medical intervention.
One source said that women with PCOS have an 80-90 percent chance of having a baby, but there
are no research studies to back this up. While some women with polycystic ovarian syndrome
will not be able to get pregnant, the majority can and probably do eventually have healthy
babies.
About 5-10% of women of childbearing age have PCOS. If their symptoms are mild they are often
undiagnosed. If they have even one child, many physicians will say they can not have PCOS.
This is ridiculous if you look at the diagnostic criteria. The most common criteria for diagnosis
include a failure to ovulate regularly. However, for many women this means they have long cycles
(35 days or longer in many cases) but they DO ovulate.
Some women with PCOS have unhealthy eggs because their periods are too far apart, in many cases
this is correctable with herbs, diet or drugs. Many women with PCOS also have a thyroid condition.
Frequently, if this is treated they begin to ovulate. Many women with PCOS have frequent
miscarriages,
but they eventually have a healthy baby - often with the help of progesterone
cream or suppositories.
Some women find that losing weight, taking vitex or other herbs, or reducing stress cause them
to begin ovulating (for me it was all three!). Some learn to detect ovulation through cervical
mucus and basal body temperatures (BBT or temperature charting). Again, these women often have
healthy babies without medical intervention.
The fact is, only a small percentage of women with PCOS ever make it to the stage of trying
fertility drugs. Clomid (clomiphene citrate) is often the first drug of choice since it is
cheap and easy to take. There are studies indicating that Clomid alone works for 70% of women
with PCOS. Other women find that they need Clomid and metformin or stronger fertility drugs.
The success rate tends to drop a bit as time passes and stronger methods are tried, but the
bottom line is that most women who have PCOS and want children have them.
There are many women who have done everything possible to get pregnant, even IVF, and have
not succeeded. But the majority of women with PCOS DO get pregnant. There is even more reason
to hope for the young women who are just now learning they have PCOS. First, they are more
likely to be diagnosed at all. This means many women will be diagnosed who would have been
overlooked ten or fifteen years ago when this generation was first beginning the march from
doctor to doctor looking for answers. We know so much more than we did then. Treatments, both
natural and medical, are much, much better than ever. In addition, being diagnosed now means
they have the chance to prevent much of the physical and emotional trauma older women have
experienced because our doctors just didn't know how to help us.
My advice to any particular woman is to do all you can to increase your fertility. Then do
your best to relax and let your body work. The odds are with you in the long run.
