Having PCOS and having a baby means you successfully navigated fertility challenges, but you faced higher risks during pregnancy like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and preterm birth, requiring close monitoring; now, postpartum, you'll manage ongoing PCOS symptoms (hormones, potential Type 2 diabetes risk) while adapting to motherhood, focusing on diet, exercise, stress management, and continued check-ups to ensure your health and your baby's well-being.
Yes. Having PCOS does not mean you can't get pregnant. PCOS is one of the most common, but treatable, causes of infertility in women. In women with PCOS, the hormonal imbalance interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation).
It is a lifelong condition. It's important to keep managing your condition even after pregnancy. Some people with PCOS notice fewer symptoms during pregnancy because of hormonal changes. However, these changes may be temporary and may return after giving birth or postpartum.
Pregnancy risks
If you have PCOS, you have a higher risk of pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and miscarriage. These risks are particularly high if you're obese.
So women with PCOS are more likely to have trouble conceiving than other women. While most women who have PCOS become pregnant, they often take longer to fall pregnant and are more likely to need fertility treatment than women without PCOS.
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects 6 to 15% of reproductive age women worldwide. It is associated with increased risk of miscarriage, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, and birth of small for gestational age infant.
PCOS and Egg Quality
Although women with PCOS might retrieve more eggs, studies suggest that their eggs may have lower quality, especially as women age (source). This can be due to hormonal imbalances affecting the maturation and release of eggs, (source).
Studies suggest that AGEs may damage the cells that support egg development, which can disrupt ovulation and worsen common PCOS symptoms like irregular periods and fertility issues.
PCOS is usually a major cause of miscarriage. Women with PCOS are at higher risk of pregnancy loss than women without PCOS. According to research, 30-50% of PCOS women are more likely to have a miscarriage compared with 10-15% of women without PCOS – a rate that is three times higher.
You will test your urine in the middle of your cycle for an LH surge using a one-step over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit. Ovulation usually occurs 24 to 40 hours after you see the color change on the predictor test, meaning your LH has risen.
Early 20s to Late 20s: This is usually the optimal time when women should be trying to have babies when they suffer from PCOS, because this is when the quality of eggs produced tends to be better from the ovaries, and ovulation is more likely to happen normally.
PCOS can be cured, but you have to control it with the right plan. With proper management, you can cure serious issues like irregular periods, acne, excess hair, infertility, obesity, and ovulation issues. This is why many women feel their PCOS is “cured” even though the underlying tendency remains.
Research has shown that genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of PCOS, but its exact cause remains unknown. The symptoms of PCOS tend to run in families, so genetics have long been a focus of PCOS research.
No, unfortunately, PCOS is a chronic condition. However, it is not uncommon for women with PCOS to experience a cessation of their symptoms while they are pregnant. Moreover, many women with the condition have reported an improvement to their regular menstrual cycle after they have been pregnant.
What are possible complications of PCOS? Women with PCOS are more likely to develop certain serious health problems. These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, problems with the heart and blood vessels, and uterine cancer. Women with PCOS often have problems with their ability to get pregnant (fertility).
JC: Your symptoms can be vague or mimic symptoms of other conditions, so PCOS can go undiagnosed for a while. There's no single test for it, but a physical exam, ultrasound, and blood tests can help diagnose PCOS.
Women with PCOS are at higher risk for pregnancy and delivery complications.
Recent studies have shown that women who were diagnosed as having PCOS 30 years ago have a completely normal life expectancy. An inspection of more than 700 death certificates from women with PCOS has shown that there is no excess risk of cancer in any organ or of heart disease.
If you have PCOS, what can you do to minimise the risk of miscarriage?
Vitamin D appears to improve reproductive and metabolic impairment in PCOS through its impact on insulin resistance.
PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion and is a multiorgan disease affecting most endocrine organs including ovaries, adrenals, pituitary, fat cells, and endocrine pancreas. The manifestations of PCOS are diverse, and up to 50% patients are normal weight.
Four Common Types of PCOS
With regard to the best age to get pregnant with PCOS, the following factors can be considered: 20s to early 30s: Natural fertility is higher, egg quality is superior, and PCOS symptoms are perhaps easier to control. This can be the ideal time to conceive.
At what week commonly do miscarriages happen with PCOS? Pregnancy loss is common during the first trimester (first 12 weeks).
Top 10 foods to improve egg quality