Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, with most people diagnosed when they’re trying to conceive in their 20s and 30s.
Being diagnosed with PCOS can be very challenging, and there’s no wrong or right way to deal with your emotions. You must get your head around a major change in your life, and understanding a little about its affects can help you.
Here we’ll explore what you need to know about PCOS, its symptoms, and treatment.
In this article:
What is PCOS?
PCOS can cause hormonal imbalances and make it difficult to get pregnant. There’s no definitive cause but women with a family history of the condition or type 2 diabetes tend to be at higher risk.
There are three main features of PCOS, and a medical professional will usually diagnose you, if you are affected by at least two:
- Irregular periods: meaning your ovaries do not regularly release eggs.
- Excess androgen: high levels of “male” hormones in your body.
- Polycystic ovaries: meaning your ovaries are enlarged and contain many fluid-filled follicles.
Symptoms of PCOS
Symptoms of PCOS can differ from person to person, may change over time and often happen without a clear trigger.
Some of the signs of PCOS include:
- No periods or irregular periods
- Difficulty trying to conceive
- Excessive hair growth
- Thinning hair and loss of head hair
- Oily skin or acne
It’s not uncommon for the condition to go unnoticed until people have trouble getting pregnant or gain weight for unknown reasons.
People with PCOS may also have, or be at risk of developing, other health conditions, such as:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Endometrial cancer
How to treat PCOS?
There is no known cure for PCOS, but symptoms can improve with treatment.
Lifestyle changes such as a balanced diet and getting enough exercise can affect hormone levels, helping to regulate your menstrual cycle and easing some symptoms. While the contraceptive pill can help regulate the menstrual cycle, and other medicines can reduce acne or hair growth.
As well as the physical effects of PCOS, it can also impact other areas such as your family life, relationships, and lead to people experiencing anxiety, depression and a negative body image. In these circumstances, it’s important to communicate your feelings to your friends, family, and wider support network, speak to others who may have been through similar, and if needed find a therapist whom you can openly share your feelings with.
Can you still conceive?
PCOS brings higher risks of complications during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and miscarriage. However, with treatment, many women can and do get pregnant naturally.
Sometimes sticking to lifestyle changes like a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise can be enough to ease difficulty conceiving. However, this isn’t the case for everyone, medication may be prescribed to help people with PCOS get pregnant, like Clomifene or Letrozole, and sometimes Metformin.
If your still having difficulty conceiving after lifestyle changes and medication, your doctor may speak to you about fertility treatments, such as IVF.