Monday Q&A: Can you have PCOS and be fertile?

Can you have PCOS and be fertile?

How PCOS affects your fertility and what you can do about it

Hi, I’m Sonia and I’m a fertility coach with Fertilligence.

And today is Q&A Mondays!

In these series, I am answering YOUR questions about all things fertility — everything from lifestyle hacks to boost fertility to handling things when pregnancy DOESN’T happen so fast.

If you have questions, be sure to post your questions in the comments below, and I’ll answer as many as I can in future videos.

So, onto today’s question: Can you have PCOS and be fertile?

So, let’s start at the very beginning. What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common endocrine condition in reproductive-aged women. It affects approximately 5-10% of young women and often leads to difficulty conceiving. Women with this condition can experience irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, acne, and can have ovaries containing multiple small cysts.

PCOS is the leading cause of ovulatory infertility. In fact, up to 80% of women with PCOS have fertility challenges

So, if you have PCOS you might be wondering how it affects fertility.

A hallmark sign of PCOS is irregular or absent menstrual periods. PCOS negatively impacts fertility because women with the condition do not ovulate each month due to hormonal imbalances. Because ovulation does not occur regularly, periods become irregular and increased levels of hormones such as testosterone can affect egg quality, inhibit ovulation, lead to insulin resistance, and increase the risk disorders such as gestational diabetes.

Miscarriages are also common in women with PCOS and can be due to the imbalance of sex hormones and higher levels of insulin.

While pregnancy may seem hopeless, there have been many positive lifestyle and medical advancements to help women with PCOS conceive.

If you are having difficulty getting pregnant, you have a variety of treatment options. So yes, you can have PCOS and be fertile! You might need some help, but it can be totally possible

So, what are your options?

Lifestyle modifications are the first choice to improve fertility, which is what we always recommend you to start with. If lifestyle modifications are not enough, we will recommend you to follow up with your doctor, as some medical intervention could be required, such as medications, hormonal treatments, and assisted reproductive procedures.

So, why do we recommend lifestyle modifications to start with?

Studies prove that changes in your lifestyle can make a big difference in regulating hormones and preparing your body for pregnancy. This, in turn, can improve your egg quality and ovulation, increasing your chances of getting pregnant.

So, what kind of lifestyle modifications do we propose for PCOS? Following research findings, we would suggest for you to adjust your diet, exercise regularly, work on reducing your stress levels and improve your sleep quality

So let me give you a few tips:

• Tip number 1, reduce sugars and carbohydrates. To lower blood sugar, we recommend a diet low in sugar and other simple carbohydrates. Because carbohydrates are broken down into sugar, it’s helpful to limit the amount you consume. Try to avoid refined carbs, which are found in processed foods, especially white flour, rice, potatoes, and sugar. You should also avoid sugary drinks, including soda and juice. In other words, focus on foods that are low in sugar and have a low glycemic index.
• Tip number 2, manage your weight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 5% of your total body weight has been shown to improve fertility in PCOS. For that, at Fertilligence we recommend a healthy diet low in fat and calories. You can use our food tracker to keep your food intake under control, it’s so helpful!
• Tip number 3, exercise regularly. Regular exercise has many benefits in treating PCOS. It helps you combat obesity by burning calories and building muscle mass, which decreases insulin resistance. Exercise can also help lower cholesterol levels and those of other hormones, such as testosterone. At Fertilligence we have hundreds of fitness and yoga videos for you to be able to exercise, from the comfort of your home!

So these are my top 3 tips to boost your fertility, when you have PCOS. If you want more information about specific lifestyle modifications for PCOS, you will find plenty of information on the Fertilligence app. Go to our library and you’ll find plenty of useful articles and recommendations.

If you aren’t sure where to start, book a 1 on 1 session with me where we can take a deep dive into your specific case and I can help you create a tailor-made winning strategy to help you boost your fertility, even with PCOS.

So this is my answer to today’s question. Now I’d love to hear back from you ladies: do you have PCOS? What are you doing to regulate your ovulation? Please share so we can all learn from each other!

I’ll see you next Monday! Remember: write your questions in the comments below and I’ll answer as many as I can.

Have a wonderful week, bye!