Following on from the last article about PCOS, this article explains its impact on fertility.
How does PCOS impact fertility and what treatments are available?
You may not be ovulating with PCOS, and when you don’t ovulate, pregnancy will not occur.
Just as we use the oral pill for women who do not wish to be pregnant, we can also use a type of medication to help conception.
These are oral tablets that increase the ability of the part of the brain called the pituitary gland to stimulate your ovaries.
The ovary just needs help to stimulate ovulation, to do this you may be prescribed clomifene or letrozole.
This can work for 80% of PCOS patients.
If this doesn’t work, or, there are additional problems with fertility, such as a partner’s problem with semen, age related issues or other pelvic pathology such as endometriosis, than medication to treat ovulation can be combined with IVF techniques to assist conception.
If oral medication fails to work, there are stronger injectable hormone treatments to stimulate the ovaries to release the eggs regularly and allow a chance at conceiving a pregnancy.
Laparoscopic Surgery and PCOS
Sometimes, laparoscopic surgery may need to be considered and at that procedure, drainage of around 5-6 follicles from each ovary will result in regular ovulation for around 6-9 months post the procedure.
Regular ovulation provides an opportunity for you to conceive. Surgery is usually tried when medical therapies have failed, or you are unable to tolerate medication options.
Understanding all aspects of PCOS can take some time, but there are many things to try to help you improve polycystic ovaries. For more information, speak with your GP, or ask for a gynaecological referral.
For more information, speak with your GP, or ask for a gynaecological referral.