Concern about being able to become pregnant is a topic that comes up during most of our chats. So, I thought I would use this opportunity to go over some facts about PCOS and fertility. I understand if you’re young, getting pregnant now is probably not on your “to do” list, but I also get that you might worry about whether or not you’ll be able to have children in the future. It’s certainly understandable that you might be concerned – just about everything that you see on the internet states that PCOS is the leading cause of infertility. However, having PCOS does NOT mean that you’ll never be able to get pregnant.

PCOS is caused by an imbalance of hormones that affects ovulation (your body’s ability to make eggs), but, if you have PCOS, you need to know that your ovaries, tubes and uterus are fine. What this means is that with treatment, your hormone levels can be stabilized so that your ovaries can make eggs.

Aside from irregular menstrual cycles, it’s common for women with PCOS to have trouble managing their weight. The good news is that research has shown that losing even 5% of your body weight can make a big difference in improving your hormone levels. Healthy lifestyle changes such as following a low-glycemic diet and exercising every day are known to lower insulin levels, which also improve fertility AND decrease your risk of getting gestational diabetes when you do become pregnant.

Fertility medication such as Clomid helps your body ovulate. This medication is safe and has been used for many years with great success. Talk with your health care provider when you are ready to become pregnant. In the meantime, unless you’re on oral contraceptive pills, use a reliable form of birth control because your body can still ovulate irregularly.

Keep in mind that your uterus is normal and you have healthy eggs. Having PCOS just means that you may need more intervention or treatment to become pregnant then other women, but getting pregnant is possible!

-Phaedra