Infertility – PCOS

Causes of Infertility – PCOS

What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or commonly known as PCOS is one of the leading causes of female infertility. Also known as Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, PCOS is a condition emanating from hormonal imbalance.

As infertility has increased occurrence in the recent years, numerous research and studies have been done and completed primarily to increase knowledge on the possible causes of infertility. Biological make-up of both man and woman has been proven to play a crucial role in fertility issues.As defined, Infertility is the inability to conceive or bear children after a year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. It is also expounded to include the inability to carry a pregnancy to full term, resulting to miscarriages.

Can PCOS cause infertility?

About a quarter of the total women population who suffers from infertility are said to be affected by PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is characterized by the existence of multiple cysts in the ovary. The presence of cysts affects the hormonal levels by affecting the production of estrogen and progesterone important for ovulation.

The follicles that serve as houses for the eggs produced by females do no mature and eventually become cysts that line the ovaries and even the fallopian tubes and uterus. Foremost affected by the condition is the ovulation process, upon which conception and fertility is highly dependent.

How Will I know If I May Have PCOS?

With an abnormal ovulation process, PCOS also causes irregular menstruation periods often stretching for months when women do not menstruate. Manifestations of the syndrome include one or more of the following symptoms:

Presence of male hormones.
Abnormal menstrual cycles often accompanied by pelvic cramps
Multiple cyst formations in the outer and inner ovaries
Type II Diabetes condition
Overweight
Increase in hair formation, especially in the back, chest, upper lip and even legs.
Excessive acne formation due to hormonal imbalance
Thinning Hair

PCOS causes the increase of production of insulin causing the over-production or increased production of male hormones like androgen and also resulting to Type II Diabetes. The overproduction of insulin directly contributes to the infertility of a woman, as insulin resistance increases the chances of miscarriages. Additionally, studies have shown that increased insulin levels affect egg production and maturity, thus, directly affecting the ovulation process and the menstrual cycle.

Is there a cure for PCOS and Infertility?

As being overweight is often the pinpointing cause and symptom of PCOS rather than an effect, weight reduction is still the primary therapy and solution to keeping PCOS at bay.

Your fertility specialist would prescribe medications like Clomid and Metformin to regularize your ovulation and menstruation process. Prescribed to be taken few days before a menstrual cycle begins, these prescription drugs are designed to stimulate and promote ovulation. As these medications have side-effects, the intake of these is limited to three to six ovulation cycles.

The IVF or in-vitro fertilization method is also a suggested treatment for PCOS-caused infertility. Treating PCOS and infertility goes hand in hand in this scenario and IVFs are supported with fertility drugs and injectables that have proven to aid the increase in fertility rates.

These treatments for PCOS, ovulation and menstruation can be outlined by your fertility specialist. The therapy and treatment may be an enduring process but positive results have been achieved in overcoming this infertility particular case.

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