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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Getting Pregnant With PCOS: 5 Tips From An Expert

Oct 21, 2017

PCOS and pregnancy are closely linked. Typically, women with PCOS who wish to get pregnant will require intensive treatment involving medications and changes to lifestyle. Therefore, for a safe pregnancy, it is advisable to first treat PCOS at its root. Let me share some tips on getting pregnant with PCOS.

Tips For Getting Pregnant With PCOS

Standard Medications Prescribed For PCOS Pregnancy

Various medications are prescribed for getting pregnant with PCOS. Drugs like metformin and myo inositol may help in losing weight, regulating periods and even increasing fertility by restoring ovulation. Specially formulated oral contraceptive pills can help in losing weight, reducing pimples, reducing hair fall and regularizing monthly periods. While medicines are a good choice for short-term therapy, they may have some side-effects.

Manage Your Weight

There’s a strong connection between PCOS and weight. Losing weight is an important lifestyle modification for getting pregnant with PCOS. It is said that losing even 5% of the existing body weight can dramatically reduce PCOS symptoms.

Adopt A PCOS-Friendly Diet

Insulin resistance is the main reason behind PCOS. Therefore, a diet that addresses insulin resistance can help women with PCOS who are trying to get pregnant. Preliminary research suggests that a balanced diet, rich in good fats and low in processed carbohydrates and sugar is great to help with PCOS. Make sure you adopt this under expert guidance. Also, you need to get adequate proteins and avoid aerated drinks.

Exercise Is Your Friend

Exercising helps in dealing with insulin resistance as well as supports weight loss. You can choose any kind of exercise to deal with the issue of PCOS and pregnancy. Whether it is aerobic exercises, weight training, swimming or dancing, any form of exercise will help as long as you are doing it regularly.

Dietary Supplements Can Help

Many women with PCOS have a vitamin D deficiency, which can increase insulin resistance. Therefore, supplementation of Vitamin D can correct this deficiency. Also, some herbs like false unicorn root have shown promise in research and have been used for centuries to help with fertility. However, always work with properly qualified herbal doctors to choose the herbs that are right for you.

Getting Pregnant With PCOS: Final Thoughts

PCOS is a complex interplay of many factors, including hormonal imbalance. Getting pregnant requires your hormonal system to be fit and firing on all cylinders. A misfiring hormonal system in PCOS makes it difficult to get pregnant. To get pregnant safely and ensure the healthy development of the baby, it is important to first address the underlying problem.

Dr. Rajeev Agarwal, MD
has achieved various milestones in his career, including the setting up the first semen donor bank, first oocyte bank & surrogacy home, and first PGS/ PGD centre in West Bengal. He has performed more than 4000 IVF cycles. Dr. Agarwal has delivered over 50 guest lectures at National and International conferences. Has been awarded the Kumud Tamarkar Award for his work on PCOS.

References:

The effects of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet on the polycystic ovary syndrome: A pilot study