You have always had an irregular menstruation, with highly variable cycles and impossible to predict. In the end, you get the diagnosis from the gynecologist: polycystic ovaries. And, depending on when this diagnosis occurs, especially if you think about starting a family, you will ask yourself: if I have polycystic ovaries, can I get pregnant?
Well, from now on we can tell you that yes, it is possible that you get pregnant and have a baby, although a priori it may be a bit more complicated than if you have a regular cycle. But what exactly does it mean to have polycystic ovaries? We explain everything to you and offer you tips to increase the chances of conceiving if you have polycystic ovaries .
But from the beginning you have to know that yes, you can have a baby, and hopefully the most difficult thing is not to conceive but to know that great news, that is, to know that you are pregnant. Because while for women with regular cycles, a delay in the period can lead to pregnancy, this is not the case in women with polycystic ovaries, since, simply, it does not have to be a delay in menstruation but simply a longer cycle.
But let’s see better what polycystic ovaries consist of and how they can affect when conceiving.
What are polycystic ovaries
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health problem that can affect both adolescents and adult women. It is also known as “Stein-Leventhal syndrome” or “polyfollicular ovarian disease.” It is associated with an imbalance of female sex hormones, which can lead to changes in the menstrual cycle, ovarian cysts, difficulty getting pregnant, and sometimes other health problems.
Any ovarian follicle larger than two centimeters is called an ovarian cyst, what happens is that, while many of these cysts are functional and are part of the normal menstruation process, those due to polycystic ovary syndrome are pathological.
The formation of cysts in the ovary is due, as we say, to hormonal causes (the ovaries manufacture higher amounts of androgens than normal and this can interfere with the development and release of the ovum) and it is a normal process, although we do From talking about “polycystic ovaries” to “polycystic ovary syndrome” (PCOS) there are some differences.
It is the first less serious case and much more frequent in women than you might think, it even often goes undiagnosed. But polycystic ovary syndrome is a pathology that is associated with anaovulatory periods (absence of menstruation) and metabolic syndrome related to cardiovascular disease or the development of diabetes.
However, there are many degrees between one and the other and also throughout a woman’s fertile life they can produce many changes. The second question is, do I have polycystic ovaries?
Know if I have polycystic ovaries
Most women are diagnosed with polycystic ovaries or PCOS between the ages of 20 and 30 or once they go to the gynecologist and an examination confirms the symptoms. The morphological characteristics of the polycystic ovary are perceptible on ultrasound or ultrasound. The symptoms of polycystic ovaries are :
- Missed menstrual period after having one or more normal menstrual periods during puberty (secondary amenorrhea).
- Irregular menstrual periods, which can be intermittent and also variable in the amount of flow (very light or very abundant).
Other symptoms of PCOS include:
- Extra body hair that grows on the chest, abdomen, and face, as well as around the nipples.
- Acne on the face, chest or back.
- Skin changes such as thick or dark skin folds and marks around the armpits, groin, neck, and breasts.
The development of male characteristics is not typical for PCOS and may indicate a different problem. But if you have any of the above symptoms, go to the gynecologist to make the correct diagnosis.
Because weight gain and obesity are common in women with PCOS, your specialist will recommend losing weight, which can help treat hormonal changes. In addition, maintaining an ideal weight increases the chances of conceiving .
The doctor may recommend contraceptive pills to make menstrual periods more regular (in addition, these drugs help reduce possible abnormal hair growth and acne), but this is obviously not the solution if we want to have a baby.
In any case, early diagnosis and treatment of PCOS are essential , because this condition carries the risk of developing long-term problems and is also very important if you want to have a baby in the future.
Getting pregnant with polycystic ovaries
Getting pregnant can be more difficult for a woman with polycystic ovaries than for others . The point is that, while in a normal cycle the ovum (or ovules) are going to be released mature when appropriate (about two weeks after the cycle starts), in women with polycystic ovaries this does not happen. Often times, the egg does not mature and does not descend, but remains in the ovary surrounded by a small amount of fluid.
In short, regular ovulation does not occur for women with PCOS. Average ovulation occurs around the fourteenth day of a medium-length menstrual cycle (twenty-eight days). It is still normal for the day of ovulation to deviate from the average by a few days. This allows the woman to know what her fertile days are and to attempt conception during that period.
Even so, the monthly probability of pregnancy in a couple who have sex regularly is only about 20%. It is estimated that fertile couples take an average of five months to get pregnant , or make love 104 times. These figures in women with polycystic ovaries could increase by not knowing their fertile days.
But, taking into account that there is usually no amenorrhea or total absence of periods, that is, that the woman with PCOS also ovulates and menstruates (no matter how difficult it is to predict when it will), the possibility of pregnancy is perfectly possible. Only in cases of amenorrhea or total absence (associated with other health problems) ovulation does not exist. What is recommended to get pregnant with polycystic ovaries?
Tips to increase the chances of pregnancy
Keeping track of your menstrual cycles is a tool that is not going to help you establish the best days to conceive. Other methods of predicting fertile days, such as ovulation tests or basal temperature, are much less effective in women with PCOS due to hormonal irregularities.
Observing the cervical mucus can help to identify when women with regular cycles are ovulating, but it is not an appropriate method if we suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome or some hormonal alteration. However, if at any time you notice that vaginal discharge or cervical mucus increases and its consistency becomes increasingly sticky and elastic, similar to that of egg white, it is likely that you are going to ovulate.
What we can do to increase the chances of pregnancy is to remain calm, be patient and most importantly, have frequent sexual relations . In this way, often giving way to sperm, the chances that, sooner or later, they will find a mature egg.
This is the key, but there are other general tips for getting pregnant with PCOS . Above all, he leads a healthy lifestyle, stopping smoking and doing physical activity regularly, with a healthy and balanced diet, maintaining an adequate weight. Otherwise, we will be adding small steps to achieve the goal of pregnancy.
The father’s lifestyle is also essential to achieve conception and the proper development of the pregnancy, so you should follow the advice to improve your fertility. In addition, a preconception visit to the gynecologist is recommended as in all women.
With all this, we hope that the answer to can I get pregnant if I have polycystic ovaries? has been clear and be encouraged because it is very likely that, sooner or later, you will have a baby. By the way, it sometimes happens that after giving birth, menstrual cycles are regulated, so the second baby may arrive earlier than expected …
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | How to get pregnant: methods and tips, Sterility and infertility, when is there a problem ?, Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
