Ovulation happens. For girls and women without PCOS, ovulation usually occurs every month. For girls diagnosed with PCOS ovulation is less predictable, but don’t be fooled by this. Young women with PCOS have a normal uterus and healthy eggs which means if they are sexually active and not using a reliable form of birth control, pregnancy can happen. It’s true that infertility is high among women diagnosed with PCOS but some women who have PCOS don’t have any trouble getting pregnant at all.

Cami was diagnosed with PCOS during her sophomore year of high school.  She was relieved to finally know what was causing her infrequent periods, acne, patches of dark skin on the back of her neck and trouble losing weight.  Cami was most upset finding out that she might have trouble getting pregnant and told her friends that she was “infertile.” She decided to wait to start hormonal pills (birth control pills) to regulate her period and soon after her appointment she became sexually active. Within a couple of months, Cami was back in her doctor’s office complaining of feeling tired.  She was pregnant and in shock. “I thought I couldn’t get pregnant,” Cami said….

Cami was under the impression that PCOS made her unable to become pregnant and misunderstood the information she received. This resulted in an unplanned pregnancy that was life changing.  So what is the take away message here? Anytime anyone has sex, there is a chance they could become pregnant. Women with PCOS ovulate irregularly so there is no way to tell for sure when your body is ovulating or when you should avoid having sex. You can prevent an unplanned pregnancy by talking to your health care provider about an effective method of birth control that’s right for you. Birth control pills are safe and are often prescribed for girls/women with PCOS to help regulate their menstrual cycles. Reliable and effective birth control is an added benefit!