PCOS and Pregnancy: Can You Still Get Pregnant With PCOS?
The short answer: yes, you can still get pregnant with PCOS. If you are not ready to become pregnant, you should discuss the best birth control options for you with your doctor.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that disrupts communication between the pituitary gland and the ovaries and can make it harder, but not impossible, for some women to become pregnant. Women with PCOS can improve their chances of conception through lifestyle changes, such as a healthier diet, exercise, and ovulation tracking, or with medical treatments like fertility medications, metformin, IVF, or ovarian drilling.
Pregnant women with PCOS can also face higher risks of pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, miscarriage, and premature birth.
For those not seeking pregnancy, reliable birth control methods are essential to prevent unintended conception.
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition where there is miscommunication between the pituitary gland—the gland that signals the release of reproduction hormones—and the ovaries.
During a healthy person’s menstrual cycle, the pituitary gland signals the ovaries to produce estrogen, which aids in prepping and releasing an egg from the ovary. It will then signal the production of progesterone, which aids in prepping the uterus for implantation. If implantation does not occur, hormone levels will drop, and the uterine lining will shed. The process will then start all over.
In women or AFAB (assigned female at birth) patients with PCOS, signals from the pituitary gland are interrupted, resulting in symptoms like hormone imbalance, irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen (male hormone) production, weight gain, hormonal acne, facial hair growth, male-pattern baldness, and fertility issues.
How Does PCOS Affect Fertility?
Because of the hormone imbalance that PCOS causes, it can result in frustrating fertility issues, such as:
- Irregular ovulation: Women with PCOS often experience irregular periods, including periods every 21 days or less, periods every 35 days or more, periods that last longer than 7 days, periods that only last 1-2 days, or even no periods for months at a time. Irregular ovulation can make it very difficult to know when your fertility window is.
- Hormonal imbalance: Hormonal imbalance can significantly affect a woman’s ability to conceive, regardless of whether their periods are irregular or follow a consistent schedule. PCOS disrupts estrogen and progesterone production, two key hormones for fertility. It also signals the production of androgens and insulin, two hormones that can interfere with egg development and the ovulation cycle.
- Insulin Resistance: In addition to androgen production, many women with PCOS also suffer from excess insulin production and insulin resistance, which can cause further hormone imbalance, interfering with ovulation and fertility.
Natural Ways to Improve Fertility With PCOS
While fertility treatments are available to help women conceive with PCOS, there are also natural ways women wanting to get pregnant can improve their fertility. Women with PCOS can improve their likelihood of conceiving by making lifestyle changes, including:
- Healthier diet: Eating a fiber-rich diet, complete with whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables, can help regulate hormones and improve fertility.
- Exercise: Regular physical movement can help regulate insulin levels and trigger weight loss, two events that can improve fertility.
- Weight management: Women with PCOS who are struggling to conceive can improve their likelihood of getting pregnant with weight loss. Even losing a small amount of body weight (5-10%) can boost fertility.
- Ovulation tracking: There are tracking tools available, including ovulation predictor kits and basal body temperature trackers, to help women with PCOS understand where they are in their ovulation cycle.
Medical Treatments for PCOS and Pregnancy
In addition to holistic, natural ways to improve fertility in PCOS, there are medical treatments available to aid in conceiving with PCOS:
- Fertility medication: Certain medicines are available to induce ovulation in women with PCOS so they can have a better idea of their ovulation cycles.
- Metformin: Metformin is a medicine that is typically used to help patients with type 2 diabetes manage their condition. However, it can also help women with PCOS regulate their ovulation cycle.
- In vitro fertilization (IVF): IVF is medical treatment in which eggs are harvested from the woman and fertilized in a lab. If fertilization is successful, the embryo is transferred to the woman’s uterus for implantation and pregnancy.
- Ovarian drilling: Ovarian drilling is a surgical procedure where small holes are created in the ovaries to reduce the production of androgens and improve ovulation cycles.
How Does PCOS Affect Pregnancy? Risks to Consider
When women with PCOS become pregnant, there are some health risks to know about and consider. Women who get pregnant with PCOS can suffer complications that include:
- Gestational diabetes: Gestational diabetes increases a woman’s blood surge levels during pregnancy if the woman cannot produce enough insulin or cannot process the insulin effectively. Since PCOS often triggers excessive insulin production and causes insulin resistance, women with PCOS are at an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes.
- Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy where the woman experiences high blood pressure and symptoms like severe headaches, abdominal pain, vision changes, and nausea/vomiting throughout her pregnancy. It is a serious condition that requires monitoring and treatment, as it can lead to kidney failure, liver damage, premature birth, and placental damage.
- Miscarriage: The hormonal imbalance that PCOS causes can increase the risk of miscarriage.
- Premature birth: Also due to hormone imbalance, pregnant women with PCOS are at an increased risk of going into labor too many weeks before their due date.
Am I Safe From Pregnancy if I Have PCOS But Don’t Want to Get Pregnant?
If you have PCOS, do not want to get pregnant, and are sexually active, you still run the risk of geting pregnant. If you aren’t ready for pregnancy or never want to get pregnant, it’s crucial to practice safer sex and use some form of birth control, including:
- Birth control pills
- Vaginal rings
- IUDs
- Contraceptive implants
- Depo-Provera injections
- Condoms
- Cervical caps
- Diaphragms
At Women’s Clinic of Atlanta, we offer birth control pill and ring prescriptions, as well as Depo-Provera injections. We can also provide information about other forms of birth control so you can make the right decision for yourself as you protect against pregnancy with PCOS.
If you’re dealing with PCOS and pregnancy or want to know more about PCOS and fertility, talk to Women’s Clinic of Atlanta.
Our caring team understands the challenges that PCOS poses to conception and fertility. We offer referrals to OBGYNs in the Atlanta area who can help you treat symptoms of PCOS, improve fertility, and manage your condition during pregnancy.
Schedule a sexual health screening or birth control consultation by texting “appointment” to 404-777-4771 today.
Women’s Clinic of Atlanta is HIPAA compliant and AAAHC accredited.
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