Infertility and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Tuesday, September 4, 2012 | Unknown at 7:52 PM |

A Couple's failure to conceive after a year of unprotected sexual intercourse is called infertility. Infertility is one of the major medical and social problem affecting reproductive-age population of different countries. Medical causes of infertility are equally allocated between women and men. Men's infertility is associated with the quality and production of sperm, while women's infertility maybe linked to cervical, ovarian and uterine factors.

Infertility of some women is caused by many medical conditions. One of which is called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, is a complex endocrine condition which involves the inability of the tiny follicles in your ovaries to evolve into large and ripe follicles. If you have this condition, your body grows many tiny cysts on your ovaries; hence it is called Poly (many) cystic Ovarian Syndrome. Those cysts are not malignant but can cause hormonal imbalances. PCOS can cause you menstrual period problems and make it hard for you to conceive or to get pregnant. It can also change your appearance. It produces unwanted bodily changes, such as excessive hair growth, which makes you appear differently from your original looks. If it is left untreated, it can cause you several health problems, such as heart diseases and diabetes.

The fulfillment of your desire to have a child is one of the greatest dilemmas that you are facing when you have PCOS. Fortunately, there are possible solutions that can help you to get pregnant. You can try the following: lifestyle modifications, in vitro fertilization and fertility medicines.

Lifestyle modification is the most practical solution to try if you want to get pregnant. You can start by eating healthy foods and exercising to lose weight or to keep it at its healthy level. Losing weight will help your body start a regular ovulation.

Another alternative is the in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although it is very expensive, IVF presents the highest incidence of becoming pregnant. It also allows the doctors to manage the condition and to lessen the possibility of having multiple births.

The most common reason for women's infertility is lack of ovulation; hence, you can try taking fertility medicines. Fertility medicines stimulate ovulation. On the other hand, it increases the incidence for having triplets or twins (multiple births).

Symptoms of PCOS are mild and asymptomatic at first. You may experience many or few symptoms depending on how the condition affects your body. If you have been experiencing irregular periods, excessive hair growth, acne and obesity (possible symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and you have been trying to get pregnant for a year now, try to visit your family doctor and confirm if you have PCOS.