Fertility Options Coach

Many women have cystic ovaries and are fertile. Others have no cysts and they still don’t ovulate. For many women being told that they have cystic ovaries comes as a shock and leads to a fear of infertility. In some cases this fear is well founded – cystic ovaries are one sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) a serious health problem that can cause infertility. However, for other women cystic ovaries do not appear to change their fertility.

A study at Tufts University shows that even if an ultrasound reveals that you have polycystic ovaries, you may be as fertile as other women. Even if you have PCOS this study suggests that if you can reduce your symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome, you may become more fertile in spite of having polycystic ovaries. (Hassan, M et al, Fertility and Sterility, 2003, 80(4):966-975).

Researchers used ultrasound to identify 210 women as having polycystic ovaries. One-third of these women had none of the typical symptoms of PCOS. The non-symptomatic women took no longer to get pregnant than women with normal ovaries. In other words, the asymptomatic polycystic women were just as fertile as women with normal ovaries.

Some women seem to have cysts on their ovaries with no other symptoms. Those who have other symptoms may find that if they can improve their overall health they can improve their fertility, whether or not their ovarian cysts disappear. Women with PCOS often find that if their health improves and their hormones become balanced their ovarian cysts go away on their own.

The typical cysts found in polycystic ovaries are small and while they may cause some minor pain or tenderness, they are not usually a serious health problem. Most cysts are actually fluid filled and often disappear on their own. Some ovarian cysts are filled with tissue and are called dermoid cysts.

Large cysts can be removed, if necessary, through surgery or in some cases by having the fluid removed with a syringe in laporoscopic surgery. Talk to your doctor about the risks of surgery and whether it is possible to wait a few months to see if the cysts resolve on their own. In rare cases ovarian cysts can be cancerous. In that case it is vital to have treatment as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading.

If you have larger cysts, constant or sharp pain, or your doctor recommends further treatment it is wise to have the cysts treated. Large ovarian cysts can rupture causing internal bleeding or may cause they ovary to twist and lead to severe pain or even loss of the ovary.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) sounds pretty scary. At least once a week I hear from a young woman who has just been diagnosed with PCOS. Far too often her doctor has said something like this, “You will not be able to get pregnant without help, if at all. You may get cancer, heart disease or diabetes. Lose weight, take metformin, come back when you want to get pregnant.” These women are terrified and often very depressed about their future. Yes, PCOS is a serious diagnosis, but it is not as bad as these doctors make it seem.

Most women with PCOS do have children if they want them. Yes, it is often more difficult to conceive with PCOS, but most women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome are able to have children even if some of them need medical help to do it.

Polycystic ovary syndrome raises your risk of diabetes, certain cancers and heart disease. What the doctors leave out is that there are ways to significantly reduce your risk. PCOS is a wake-up call to take care of your body. It is a reminder that you can’t take your health for granted. It is no where near the doom and gloom prognosis that many women are given.

Treating PCOS is not easy. I don’t like having to pay attention to my diet and exercise. I would prefer to keep flying by the seat of my pants through life. Slowiing down and taking care of myself are worth it and the same things I have to do to care for my PCOS symptoms are the same things experts are now receommending we all do to take care of ourselves. Eat right, sleep right, exercise, relax….

I have been struggling with PCOS since puberty. More than 20 years later I am still going strong. I do have to be careful to take care of myself a little more than average. I am still working on having a baby. But my life is full and I am able to control the worst PCOS symptoms by taking good care of myself.

Living with PCOS is not always easy. It is far easier than living with many, many other conditions. In many ways I feel lucky to have PCOS instead of some of the illnesses I see other people struggling with.

When you learn you have PCOS it can throw you for a loop. Pick yourself up, learn more about it, learn how to take care of your body.

Most PCOS symptoms can be reduced or eliminated with good self care. Take the time to listen to your body and take care of yourself and you will reap the rewards. PCOS is a wake-up call – not a tragedy.

A small, but important, new study shows that women with PCOS do have babies at almost the same rate as women without PCOS. The difference is that for many women with PCOS, they begin to ovulate regularly a bit later in life as their hormones settle out a bit. For women without PCOS, ovulation slows down as they move into their 30’s. For women with PCOS, as ovulation slows down, it allows for better ovulation and fewer cysts.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, looked at the reproductive history of 91 women diagnosed with PCOS and 87 non-PCOS controls, all study participants were 35 or older. Participants in the study were asked about the number and timing of babies and results from women with PCOS and without PCOS were compared. Among women who had attempted to have children, 86.7% of PCOS patients and 91.6% of controls had given birth to at least one child. Among women with PCOS who had given birth, 73.6% had gotten pregnant on their own, without medical intervention.

As I have noted in other articles, women who have babies without help are rarely diagnosed with PCOS, even if they have all of the other symptoms. PCOS makes it harder to have a baby, but it does not rule it out.

While this study is pretty small, it fits with the answers I have gotten in surveys and anecdotal evidence from the many women who have shared their stories with me. Most women w

For many years now I have suspected a trend towards women with PCOS getting pregnant on their own a bit later in life. Over and over, women tell me that they tried for years, then were able to have babies without help.

You can read about the study in New Scientist magazine and I have also included a link directly to the study.

New Scientist Article

Link to Study

Now, we know that for women who ovulate normally, fertility decreases over time. Apparently, for women with PCOS there is an increase in fertility before it decreases again.

My advice (after waiting until my late 30’s for that first baby to finally maker her appearance)? If you are ready to have a baby, try for one. If it doesn’t happen right away and you are in your early to mid 20’s, find something wonderful to do with your time while you wait. You’ll cherish the things you accomplished during that time long after the babies do finally make their appearance.

A small, but important, new study shows that women with PCOS do have babies at almost the same rate as women without PCOS. The difference is that for many women with PCOS, they begin to ovulate regularly a bit later in life as their hormones settle out a bit. For women without PCOS, ovulation slows down as they move into their 30’s. For women with PCOS, as ovulation slows down, it allows for better ovulation and fewer cysts.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, looked at the reproductive history of 91 women diagnosed with PCOS and 87 non-PCOS controls, all study participants were 35 or older. Participants in the study were asked about the number and timing of babies and results from women with PCOS and without PCOS were compared. Among women who had attempted to have children, 86.7% of PCOS patients and 91.6% of controls had given birth to at least one child. Among women with PCOS who had given birth, 73.6% had gotten pregnant on their own, without medical intervention.

As I have noted in other articles, women who have babies without help are rarely diagnosed with PCOS, even if they have all of the other symptoms. PCOS makes it harder to have a baby, but it does not rule it out.

While this study is pretty small, it fits with the answers I have gotten in surveys and anecdotal evidence from the many women who have shared their stories with me. Most women w

For many years now I have suspected a trend towards women with PCOS getting pregnant on their own a bit later in life. Over and over, women tell me that they tried for years, then were able to have babies without help.

You can read about the study in New Scientist magazine and I have also included a link directly to the study.

New Scientist Article

Link to Study

Now, we know that for women who ovulate normally, fertility decreases over time. Apparently, for women with PCOS there is an increase in fertility before it decreases again.

My advice (after waiting until my late 30’s for that first baby to finally make her appearance)? If you are ready to have a baby, try for one. If it doesn’t happen right away and you are in your early to mid 20’s, find something wonderful to do with your time while you wait. You’ll cherish the things you accomplished during that time long after the babies do finally make their appearance.

Natural treatments for polycsytic ovary syndrome (PCOS)are available. Untreated PCOS can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and an increased risk of cancer. Common medical treatments include metformin (Glucophage), birth control pills and symptom specific treatments for acne, hair loss, and restoring ovulation. Natural treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome include herbs, dietary changes, mind-body treatments, and exercise.

I started researching natural treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome because I was not able to tolerate metformin. Not only did my symptoms remain the same, I gained weight on metformin and I had gastro-intestinal effects for 6 months. No thank you! With natural treatments I lost more than 30 pounds and started having regular periods again.

If metformin is working for you, don’t stop taking it! All of these treatments are safe to use with metformin if your doctor oks it. You will want to be careful with diet and exercise because metformin can cause your blood sugar levels to get too low. You are also more likely to get dehydrated while on metformin, so make sure you keep your fluid intake high.

* Herbs for PCOS are very popular because they work well. Just be sure you know what you are taking and why. Any herb strong enough to help you is also potentially harmful. Be sure to research potential the side effects and get your doctor’s ok before taking any herb. The most common herb for PCOS is vitex, also known as chaste tree berry or agnus castus.

* Many women with PCOS report that a low-glycemic index diet has an amazing effect on their symptoms. For many women with PCOS, the low-glycemic index diets are the only way to lose weight. The majority of women with PCOS have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is what happens when your body overreacts to sugar and carbohydrates in your diet. Eating certain foods such as white bread, rice, potatoes and sugary foods causes your blood sugar to rise quickly because these foods are digested very quickly.

Your body produces too much insulin to deal with this rapid increase in blood sugar. The insulin does its job of helping your cells to use blood sugar. However, too much insulin causes your cells to get too much blood sugar too quickly. To protect themselves the cells become resistant to insulin. Metformin helps your body to use insulin effectively again. However, studies show that diet and exercise are even more effective than metformin.

A low glycemic diet is basically about eating more natural foods that are digested slowly, such as vegetables. These foods cause your blood sugar to rise slowly so your body produces just the right amount of insulin. Combined with exercise, this diet retrains your body to use insulin properly and the insulin resistance is greatly reduced. I have listed some of the best low glycemic diet boosk below.

* Exercise is the best natural treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome. Exercise improves your mood, reduces your cholesterol, and teaches your body to use insulin efficiently. Moderate exercise is all that is needed. Thirty minutes a day 3-5 times a week is enough for most people. Do be sure to check with your doctor before beginning a new excercise program just to be sure everything is in order.

* Mind-body therapies include focused relaxation, reiki energy therapy, massage, support groups and life coaching. All of these things can help reduce your stress and improve your health. We know that stress drastically increases the symptoms of PCOS. Reducing stress can make a huge difference in your symptoms.

If you would like to learn more about natural treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome, I go into much more detail in my book Alternative PCOS Solutions