Globally, there are an uncountable number of women drenched in the misery of infertility due to underlying medical issues. Every woman will definitely want to get pregnant, nurse the charming-looking baby, and be proud to be called a mother but what if it turns the opposite, can there be a remedy? Illnesses that disrupt or prevent women from getting pregnant are innumerable, so it’s best to identify the underlying issues and tackle them.
This article will focus on one of these illnesses that prevent women from getting pregnant known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome also called PCOS and how to get pregnant with it.
What Is PCOS?
Some people might find this name strange while others are conversant with it and few are already diagnosed with the syndrome. Whichever way it is, let’s have an understanding of the term.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder with a small reflective cyst on the outer edge of the enlarged ovary. The cyst does not cause severe harm to the body, only disrupting the flow of the menstrual period and creating a hormonal imbalance.
This condition usually affects women in childbearing years (15 to 44), about 2.2 and 26.7 women within this age range have PCOS and up to 70% of women with PCOS have not been diagnosed and are not aware of having this condition.
PCOS usually happens as a result of the presence of excess male hormones in the woman’s body (androgen). This can lead to prolonged health-related problems like diabetes and heart disease.
Causes Of PCOS
There has not been an accurate indication of what truly triggers or the main cause of this condition but doctors believe that high levels of androgen prevent the ovaries from producing estrogen and ovulating as normal. Other suggested possible causes include:
- Genes: conducted studies also prove that genes can actually lead to PCOS. There’s evidence that many genes are involved in contributing to this condition. Having the syndrome could be a result of inheritance for some people.
- Insulin Resistance: insulin is produced in the pancreas to help the body utilize sugar from foods for energy but when cells can’t use insulin properly, the pancreas makes more insulin to cover up the body’s increase in demand, this extra insulin makes the ovaries produce excess male hormones. When there are more male hormones in the woman’s body it often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- Inflammation: being overweight can lead to Inflammation and this can lead to producing androgen in high levels thereby causing PCOS.
Symptoms Of PCOS
Some women discover they have PCOS earlier and others could be during periods of failed pregnancies or being obese.
Below are common symptoms of PCOS:
- Irregular periods: when there’s no ovulation, there will likely not be blood flow through the fallopian tube every month. With the presence of PCOS, some women get less than 8 periods or none at all in a year.
- Heavy bleeding: the uterine lining builds up for a longer time, so when it breaks down, the period will be heavier than normal.
- Hair growth: over 70% of women with PCOS grow hair on their face, chest, back, belly and body.
- Acne: the excess presence of androgen can make the skin oilier than normal leading to breakouts in the face, chest, and upper back.
- Weight gain: nearly 80% of women with PCOS become overweight or obese.
- Headaches: when there are hormonal changes or imbalances, it usually causes headaches in some women.
- Dark patches on skin: dark patches will appear on the neck, in the groin, and under the breast.
- Male pattern baldness: hair on the scalp gets thinner and may fall out.
What Does PCOS Do To The Body?
PCOS can affect the body negatively in the following ways:
- Infertility
- Metabolic syndrome
- Depression
- Endometrial cancer
- Sleep apnea
Is There A Possibility Of Getting Pregnant With PCOS?
Getting pregnant with PCOS can take longer or might be impossible in some cases as there’s no cure for the syndrome. Below are reliable tips to enable you to get pregnant fast while having PCOS.
- Reverse insulin resistance: you can achieve this by cutting out sugar and refined carbs from your diet. Consume more of sufficient protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This will help your blood sugar level and insulin level to drop.
- Reduce stress: try all means to reduce stress because this can increase the chances of getting pregnant. The stress hormone cortisol controls all other hormones but when the hormones are balanced it boosts fertility. Try out massage, yoga, and exercise to reduce stress.
- Practice taking an anti-inflammatory diet: this will help to nourish and heal your body by balancing hormones, and blood sugar levels and reducing weight gain.
An anti-inflammatory diet includes:
- Deduced red meat intake
- Consume more of Unsaturated fats
- Eat beans at least once a week
- Take more fruits and vegetables
- Use herbs and spices e.g ginger, cumin, fennel, bay leaves, etc while cooking
- Eat more of salmon and tuna rich in omega-3
- Consume green tea preferably daily
- Avoid sugar by all means
- Keep track of your menstrual cycle: this will enable you to know the exact strike of ovulation AMD and the right time to indulge in sexual relations to try for a baby.
- Use ovulation test strips: you can use this to find out exactly when you are ovulating.
- Take Supplement: there are supplements that can help boost fertility. Try them out and apply all the methods listed above, the result will definitely be optimistic with an affirmative pregnancy result.
Conclusion
Certainly, you can get pregnant even when battling PCOS. All hope is not lost, make sure to try out those super active methods listed above.
