Polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy. Prognosis and possible complications

Polycystic ovary syndrome is otherwise called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, PCOS), polycystic ovary disease (PCOD), Stein-Leventhal disease.

Important: Polycystic ovary syndrome is not uncommon and is found in approximately 11% of women of childbearing age.

Polycystic disease is based on a serious hormonal disorder, as a result of which an excess amount of male sex hormones begins to be produced in a woman’s body, and the amount of female sex hormones, on the contrary, decreases. As a result, the structure of the ovaries changes: they increase several times and a large number of small cysts with liquid contents appear in them. The functioning of the ovaries also undergoes pathological changes, resulting in disruption of the menstrual cycle and resulting infertility.

Externally noticeable manifestations of polycystic ovary syndrome are:

  • hirsutism - the appearance of facial hair and its excessive growth on the body. In 70% of women with excess hair growth, polycystic ovary disease is detected;
  • baldness at the temples and crown, which is uncharacteristic for most ladies;
  • excessive sebum secretion, the appearance of pimples and blackheads, oily seborrhea;
  • the appearance of excess weight, which is located mainly on the tummy;
  • increase in blood insulin levels;
  • change in the basal temperature schedule: basal temperature remains unchanged throughout the entire cycle, and normally should increase in the second half of the cycle;
  • long delays or complete absence of menstruation. At the same time, rare menstruation can be very heavy and prolonged;
  • nagging, non-sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
  • the appearance of compacted areas in the chest similar to mastopathy;
  • inability to conceive a child.

Most often, the first symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome appear during puberty and that is why they often go unnoticed, as they are attributed to the characteristics of adolescence.

Important: the debut of polycystic ovary syndrome most often occurs at the ages of 12-14 and 28-30 years.

Only a qualified doctor can help identify pathology in a timely manner. In this case, a comprehensive examination may be required, since a competent doctor will not make such a diagnosis only based on ultrasound results. In addition to the mandatory ultrasound examination, it is necessary to take a blood test to determine the level of hormones and biochemical indicators. Sometimes an endometrial biopsy may even be required.

Diagnostic criterionWhat is revealed in polycystic disease?
External inspection dataExcess weight, male pattern hair growth, mastopathy
MensesRare, no stable cycle
Features of the structure of the ovaries according to ultrasound resultsThe ovaries are enlarged to 8 cm3 due to proliferation of connective tissue. The number of cystic formations is at least 10
Hormone levelsThe amount of male sex hormones is too large. Decreased progesterone levels
Biochemical blood parametersExcess glucose and fats
OvulationAbsent
FertilityInfertility is diagnosed in 90% of cases

Hormonal imbalance is the direct cause of PCOS. Most scientists are inclined to believe that genetic predisposition and congenital metabolic pathologies play a huge role in this. In the absence of such, provoke a violation of the hormonal balance in the body and eventually lead to polycystic disease can:

  • chronic infectious diseases;
  • obesity and (or) diabetes;
  • complications after abortion;
  • difficult previous pregnancies and births.

Why is it difficult to get pregnant with polycystic disease?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is not a death sentence for those who want to get pregnant. Sometimes women with this diagnosis become pregnant even without appropriate treatment, although this is very rare.

Important: With polycystic ovary syndrome, it is difficult not only to get pregnant, but also to bear a child. The number of spontaneous miscarriages with this disease is much higher than among healthy women.

Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome increases the chances of conceiving and carrying a child to term many times over. But the struggle for the unborn child will be serious, because it is necessary to overcome several factors at once that prevent the long-awaited pregnancy from occurring:

  1. Endocrine factor. The hormonal system in polycystic disease is so shaken that the body does not receive the signals it needs that it is time to release an egg ready for fertilization or prepare the uterus for a possible conception. And if conception does occur, the endocrine system cannot adjust to the “pregnant” mode in time, which makes bearing a child impossible.
  2. The anatomy of polycystic ovaries is such that they prevent the egg from leaving the ovary during ovulation. Increased in size, they simply block the normal movement of the egg on its way to the uterus.
  3. Endometric factor. The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. Whether a fertilized egg can take root in the uterine cavity largely depends on its condition. At the same time, the state of the endometrium is completely controlled by hormones. And since in polycystic disease hormonal control over the endometrium is unstable, pregnancy is unlikely.

What are they doing b?

The question is rhetorical. Polycystic ovaries cannot go away on their own, which means they need to be treated. At least if there is a desire to become pregnant.

Treatment of polycystic disease is a difficult but completely doable task. The decisive role in achieving success is played by:

  • advanced stage of the disease: the earlier polycystic disease was identified, the more effective its treatment;
  • age of the patient: in young girls, treatment of polycystic disease can be much more effective than in older girls;
  • the woman’s desire to be cured, and her willingness to follow all the doctor’s recommendations;
  • the presence or absence of concomitant diseases: obesity and diabetes, including.
  • qualification of the attending physician.

What if you do nothing?

In case of therapeutic inaction, a patient with polycystic disease faces:

  • inability to become pregnant and bear a child;
  • heavy uterine bleeding;
  • increased risk of cancer of the female genital organs and breasts.

Important: Polycystic disease is a direct threat to a woman’s health. Therefore, even if there is no desire to get pregnant, it is necessary to treat polycystic disease.

Video - polycystic ovary syndrome

How to get pregnant with polycystic disease: traditional medicine version

Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome in order to restore reproductive function includes a number of measures:

  • If you are overweight, you need to lose it. Cases have been recorded where weight loss alone contributed to the almost complete disappearance of all symptoms of polycystic disease, ovulation and the ability to conceive were restored.

Important: Adipose tissue acts as a kind of storage room in which male sex hormones accumulate. The smaller the fat reserves, the weaker the hormonal impact of androgens on the female body.

  • If the patient is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, then long-term treatment with special drugs is required that normalize glucose levels and thereby contribute to the partial disappearance of external signs of polycystic disease. The treatment regimen in this case is developed by an endocrinologist or gynecologist-endocrinologist.
  • Hormone therapy is an almost inevitable method of treatment for PCOS. Patients should not be afraid of taking hormones, because their own hormonal levels really need just such correction from the outside. Taking synthesized hormones helps increase the level of your own female sex hormones and get rid of excess male hormones, causes ovulation and prevents miscarriage. As a result of adequate hormonal therapy, approximately 70% of women with polycystic disease become mothers.

Important: Only a doctor has the right to prescribe hormonal medications and monitor the progress of treatment. Self-treatment and Internet treatment can lead to irreparable results.

  • If pregnancy does not occur within a year after starting hormonal therapy, surgical intervention is indicated. The operation is performed using laparoscopy and during it, cysts from the ovaries and thickened areas of connective tissue are removed. As a result, the production of male sex hormones sharply decreases, and the likelihood of ovulation and conception increases. True, the effect of the operation is most often temporary and lasts only six months to a year: the patient must make every effort to become pregnant in this allotted time period.

Important: As a result of surgery, pregnancy occurs in approximately 80% of women.

How to get pregnant with polycystosis: a version of traditional medicine

Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome with traditional medicine is based on the healing power of plants. In fact, some of them actually have a weak therapeutic effect and can slightly affect a person’s hormonal levels, since they contain special substances - phytoestrogens.

Important: Phytoestrogens are not hormones, but substances of plant origin. But in their action they may vaguely resemble the action of female sex hormones.

The effect of folk remedies for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome is insignificant. Most often, it is simply caused by simultaneous treatment with traditional medicine. In order for herbal treatment not to harm, but to promote recovery, all non-traditional therapeutic measures should be agreed upon with your doctor.

Important: Treatment with folk remedies should not be the only or leading method of getting rid of polycystic ovary syndrome. Otherwise, the risk of worsening the disease and developing complications such as infertility increases.

The most popular and effective prescriptions for the treatment of polycystic ovaries:

What is usedPreparationTreatment regimen
Borovaya uterus: alcohol tincturePour 50 g of raw material with vodka (0.5 l) and leave for a month in a dark place3 weeks 3 times a day, 40 drops. Take a week break and repeat. So until complete recovery
Phyto-infusion of red brush1 tbsp. Brew vegetable raw materials in a glass of boiling water and leave for about an hourDrink daily before meals
Basil decoctionBrew 2 tbsp boiling water. raw materials and boil for a quarter of an hour. Then cool and strainDrink half a glass twice a day
Licorice infusion1 tbsp. Brew raw materials with a glass of boiling water and leaveDrink a glass in the morning on an empty stomach
Nettle root decoction2 tbsp pour a glass of boiling water over the raw materials and simmer over low heat for half an hourDrink instead of morning tea
Celandine tinctureCollect flowering celandine, dry and chop. Pour vodka and leave for 2 weeks in a dark place.The treatment regimen is designed for a month: days 1-10 – 1 tsp. tinctures with boiled water in the morning on an empty stomach, days 11-20 – 1 tbsp. tinctures with boiled water in the morning on an empty stomach, days 21-30 – 1 tbsp. tinctures with boiled water 3 times a day before meals
Walnut shell tincturePour 14 walnut shells into a bottle of vodka and leave for a week in a dark place in a tightly closed container.Drink 1 tbsp daily in the morning on an empty stomach. The course of treatment lasts until all the tincture is finished
Oat decoctionPour 50 g of oats into 1 liter of water and boil until about a third of the original volume remainsDrink throughout the day, can be combined with other decoctions and tinctures

PCOS is one of the common causes of infertility.

With polycystic ovary syndrome, three main symptom complexes are observed:

  • The first is that a woman has signs of masculinization due to excessive secretion of androgens.
  • The second is that she does not ovulate every month or all cycles are anovulatory.
  • Third, ultrasound shows a large number of functional cysts in the ovaries.

Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome can have a variety of clinical manifestations, since not only the reproductive system is affected.

Main clinical manifestations:

  • absence of menstruation or rare menstrual bleeding (not every cycle);
  • scanty or, on the contrary, heavy menstruation, often painful;
  • abdominal obesity – waist circumference increases, but the limbs remain thin;
  • hair loss;
  • oily skin;
  • the appearance of stretch marks on the body;
  • depression, irritability, nervousness, apathy;
  • pain in the lower back or lower abdomen;
  • acne;
  • the appearance of dark pigment spots on the skin.

The severity of symptoms of polycystic disease can range from mild to very intense. This depends on the severity of hormonal disorders.

Causes of polycystic disease

The exact causes of polycystic disease remain unknown today.

The main provoking factors include:

  • diseases of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, which are accompanied by increased synthesis of luteinotropic hormone and somatotropin. As a result, the production of male sex hormones in the ovaries is activated, the follicles turn into cysts;
  • insulin resistance - increased concentration of the substance in the blood also stimulates the synthesis of androngens;
  • pathology of the adrenal glands.

Family history plays an important role. Patients whose mothers or grandmothers had polycystic disease are at risk.

Consequences of pathology

The prognosis for the life and health of a patient with polycystic ovary syndrome is relatively favorable.

In the absence of complete and timely treatment, the pathology is complicated by the following conditions:

  • carbohydrate metabolism disorder;
  • mastopathy;
  • endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer;
  • cardiovascular diseases.

Pregnancy with polycystic disease is associated with an increased likelihood of miscarriage or premature birth. Hormonal therapy is indicated for a woman during pregnancy.

Polycystic disease and pregnancy

Women can put up with many of the symptoms of polycystic disease. No menstruation? Well, okay, let's save on gaskets. Excess hair growing? Let's do hair removal! But the biggest problem with PCOS remains endocrine infertility.

The first thing patients ask their doctor is whether it is possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome. Of course, you can get pregnant. It’s just that the chances of pregnancy with polycystic ovary syndrome are lower than in healthy women.

There are several reasons for this:

  • the cycle becomes irregular, so it is difficult for a woman to “catch” ovulation and have fertilizing sexual intercourse on the right day;
  • there is often an excess of estrogen against the background of progesterone deficiency, so the endometrium may be hyperplastic, and the chances of successful implantation (introduction into the uterine wall) of the embryo are reduced;
  • Due to low testosterone production, insufficiency of the luteal phase of the cycle is possible.

Thus, it is possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome. But for this you need to try very hard and, perhaps, spend more than one year, if you do not resort to the help of doctors. Firstly, because ovulation often occurs only 2-3 times a year, while in healthy women it occurs 12-13 times a year. Secondly, even on the days of ovulation, the probability of conception is lower than the average in the population.

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome if you go to a fertility clinic? Yes, in this case the doctor will prescribe you hormone therapy. Ovulation will occur every month. Moreover, during one cycle, with the help of drugs, several eggs can mature at once, which increases the chances of conception. In some cases, it is possible to conceive a child naturally; in other situations, it is necessary to resort to assisted reproductive technologies.

So, now you know whether you can get pregnant with polycystic disease. It remains to figure out how to do this.

How to get pregnant with polycystic disease?

Let's talk about how to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome. The most important thing is to make sure that ovulation occurs constantly, every month. To do this, a procedure called induction or stimulation of ovulation is performed.

First, the woman undergoes an examination. Because you need to make sure that PCOS is the cause of infertility. It is necessary to check the patency of the fallopian tubes, perform an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, and take hormone tests.

Then drugs (usually gonadotropins) are prescribed that stimulate the maturation of the follicles. Then on a certain day, after the follicles have grown, an ovulation trigger is administered. The follicles are ruptured, and 2 days after the last injection, fertilizing sexual intercourse is performed. The probability of success in each cycle depends on many factors and reaches 20-30%.

Stimulation of ovulation in polycystic disease requires constant medical supervision. The woman undergoes regular ultrasounds to measure the follicles and endometrium. The stimulation program is selected individually and is often adjusted directly during its implementation, based on the reaction of the ovaries to the administration of drugs.

Surgery

Surgical treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome is very rare. And this is done not so much to get pregnant, but to normalize the cycle and eliminate the main clinical manifestations of pathology.

Modern operations are performed by laparoscopy. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which the doctor inserts a camera, lighting and surgical instruments through small holes in the abdomen. The gynecologist cauterizes areas of the ovaries that produce excess androgens.

In addition, surgical stimulation of ovulation can be performed. The doctor removes part of the ovarian membrane. This increases the likelihood that the follicle will rupture and release an egg.

The menstrual cycle after surgical treatment is restored in 90% of patients. But pregnancy after laparoscopy occurs in no more than 15-20%. Therefore, to fertilize an egg, it is better to use other methods: conservative treatment, stimulation of ovulation or assisted reproductive technologies.

Reproductive technologies to achieve pregnancy

Unfortunately, success cannot always be achieved by using drugs for polycystic ovary syndrome, and pregnancy may still not occur. In this case, reproductive technologies come to the rescue.

After the patient consults a doctor, the treatment algorithm for PCOS is usually as follows:

  1. Combined hormonal therapy (estrogens, progestins, antiandrogens) is prescribed.
  2. If it does not restore the cycle within several months and does not lead to pregnancy, ovulation stimulation is prescribed.
  3. If conservative treatment does not bring results within 12 months, IVF can be done.

These are the main ways to get pregnant after polycystic disease. How soon the doctor will recommend to stop trying to conceive naturally and focus on reproductive technologies depends mainly on the woman’s age. If she is 20-25 years old, she may be trying to get pregnant even for several years. But more often than not, patients who are over 30 come to our clinic. We recommend IVF for them after 6-9 months of unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant by using conservative therapy.

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome, contact the AltraVita clinic. Here you will find the optimal treatment. Most of our patients manage to get pregnant with the help of medications. And in case of failure, you can always resort to assisted reproductive technologies.

Many women perceive the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome as a death sentence, believing that they will not be able to have children. The probability of pregnancy is low, since changes in the structure of ovarian tissue significantly complicate the processes in it that precede fertilization. However, you can increase your chances of conceiving and having a healthy child. This requires serious treatment. The sooner you can detect signs of the disease and consult a doctor, the more favorable the prognosis. The best thing is to get rid of the pathology in advance, even when planning conception.

Content:

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a pathology caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. There is a significant increase in the size of the organ and thickening of its wall due to the formation of many small cysts filled with fluid. Characteristic signs of polycystic disease are menstrual irregularities and lack of ovulation.

Hormonal imbalance worsens as estrogen production decreases. The level of testosterone, from which they are produced, increases. This leads to the appearance of male-type changes in a woman’s appearance. In addition, in 85% of cases with polycystic ovary syndrome, pregnancy and its normal course are impossible.

There are several reasons that sharply reduce the likelihood of conception:

  1. Mature follicles cannot leave the ovary.
  2. Even if the egg manages to leave it, it cannot enter the fallopian tube, the entrance to which is blocked by the ovary, which has increased several times.
  3. Due to a decrease in the production of female sex hormones, normal maturation of the endometrium of the uterus becomes impossible. The fertilized egg is not retained in it and dies, and the woman does not have menstruation.

However, in 15% of cases at an early stage of the disease, a woman can still become pregnant even without treatment, if she has periods regularly enough and ovulation occurs at least occasionally. In this case, fetal development outside the uterus is sometimes observed. If a woman does not have periods, she will be able to get pregnant only after special treatment.

Treatment when planning pregnancy

The goal of treatment is to suppress the production of male hormones in the ovaries using antiandrogenic drugs, restoring the ratio of female sex hormones. In this way it is possible to regulate the menstrual cycle. Progesterone-based drugs are used to stimulate ovulation.

Addition: Paradoxically, in order to cure a woman of infertility, she is prescribed birth control pills (COCs). The mechanism of their action is that they help normalize hormonal levels.

Mandatory elements of treatment are correction of body weight and elimination of inflammatory diseases of the genital organs. If treatment is ineffective and the woman fails to become pregnant, then surgical treatment is performed (wedge resection of the ovary or incision with a laser knife). Operations are performed using laparoscopy. It becomes possible for the egg to leave the ovary and move into the fallopian tube for fertilization. The alternative is IVF.

The time of possible conception after treatment depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the stage of the disease and the method of therapy. The probability of ovulation occurring after surgery is quite high for six months, then it decreases.

However, full recovery of ovarian function usually does not occur until 3 months after surgery, so if a woman becomes pregnant too early, she may have a miscarriage.

Does pregnancy help get rid of polycystic disease?

This opinion is wrong. Firstly, conception in the presence of the disease is quite rare. And secondly, even if the cause of the disease (hormonal imbalance) disappears, it will be a temporary phenomenon. After 9 months, problems with hormones will recur; treatment will not be possible. The disease is far from safe, since, in addition to infertility, a host of other consequences are possible, including cancer.

Signs and diagnosis of polycystic disease in pregnant women

Signs of the onset of the disease are detected after pregnancy. In this case, an ultrasound shows that the ovaries are enlarged, their capsules are thickened, and they have separate cavities. You can see that there is an embryo in the uterine cavity.

Other manifestations during this period are difficult to notice. Signs such as weight gain, deterioration of skin condition, the appearance of acne, hair loss do not surprise anyone at this time; they are usually explained by the restructuring of the body characteristic of this period.

Ultrasound alone is not enough, since changes in the ovaries also occur in the presence of inflammatory processes or tumors. To clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to do a blood test for hormones (LH and testosterone levels are increased, and progesterone concentration is decreased). A biochemical analysis for glucose and cholesterol levels is also carried out.

One of the signs of polycystic disease is a decrease in the body's sensitivity to insulin. At the same time, glucose accumulates in the blood.

What complications occur with polycystic disease in pregnant women?

Hormonal imbalance that occurs with polycystic ovary syndrome complicates pregnancy and has the following consequences:

  1. Early miscarriage.
  2. Cessation of development and death of the fetus (frozen pregnancy).
  3. Premature birth.
  4. Heavy bleeding.
  5. Late toxicosis (increased blood pressure, the appearance of edema). There is a disruption of blood flow in the mother’s body, and hypoxia occurs in the fetus. The consequence may be the appearance of physical and mental developmental defects in the child. This creates a danger to the life of mother and child.
  6. Gestational diabetes mellitus, which causes dysfunction of the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems in the newborn.

There is also a significant increase in body weight, which leads to a deterioration in the woman’s general well-being and the progression of hormonal disorders.

Is there any treatment for pregnant women?

The use of hormonal drugs has a detrimental effect on the development of the fetus and causes complications in the child’s health. Therefore, therapy is carried out only after childbirth.

Throughout the entire period of bearing a child, particularly careful monitoring of the patient’s condition and fetal development is carried out. Blood pressure and blood sugar are strictly controlled. When gestational diabetes occurs, insulin therapy is performed.

Diet plays an important role. During normal pregnancy, dieting is not recommended for women. With polycystic disease, it becomes necessary to control weight to prevent the progression of the disease. It is required to limit the consumption of sweets and fatty foods. It is necessary to include foods rich in fiber in the diet. Vitamins are prescribed to improve metabolism.

Video: How to increase the chances of conception with polycystic. Possible complications


Polycystic ovary syndrome is a female disease associated with hormonal imbalance in the body. Manifested by disturbances of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. It is a common cause of infertility. Many women have a question about how to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome, whether it is possible to conceive without treatment. There are cases when pregnancy occurs with this syndrome. But you shouldn’t rely on them; if a disease is diagnosed and you can’t conceive a child for more than a year, you should start therapy.

Causes of the disease

To date, the exact causes of polycystic disease in women have not been identified. There are a number of provoking factors that can lead to pathology. These include:

  • Heredity
  • Changes in glucose tolerance
  • Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs
  • Treatment with hormonal drugs.

In most cases, polycystic disease is detected in adolescence and young adulthood, but it happens that the disease occurs closer to thirty years of age. There are three main types of this disease:

  • Adrenal, associated with congenital androgenemia (increased synthesis of male sex hormones)
  • Ovarian (Stein-Levanthal syndrome), when hormonal disorders are associated with sclerosis of ovarian tissue
  • Hypothalamic-pituitary, with impaired synthesis of hormones and gonadotropins.

The ovaries affected by polycystic disease are enlarged. They reveal many cysts of different sizes. The formations are unruptured follicles with immature eggs inside. This means that during the disease there is no ovulation, or it occurs extremely rarely. This phenomenon is the main reason why a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome fails to become pregnant.

Treatment of polycystic disease

Therapy for patients with polycystic disease includes conservative and surgical methods. Traditional methods of treatment, which are often offered online, have questionable results. In order not to waste time, it is better to go to the doctor immediately. Conservative therapy includes the following steps:

  • Regulation of hormone synthesis processes in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland
  • Suppressing excess androgen production
  • Weight normalization
  • Regulation of the menstrual cycle.

The complex of treatment for patients with polycystic disease includes the correction of other diseases. For example, therapy for the inflammatory process in the pelvic organs, diabetes mellitus, pathology of the kidneys, adrenal glands, and liver. To regulate the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives are prescribed (Diana 35, Yarina, etc.). After treatment with these drugs, the cyclicity of menstruation resumes, hirsutism decreases, and other symptoms of the disease disappear. The drugs are prescribed for 3-6 months; after stopping them, many women manage to get pregnant on their own. Before treating a patient with hormones, their blood levels must be determined in order to select the correct dose.

In addition to these medications, antagonists of male sex hormones, immunostimulants, and physiotherapy are used. Good results are obtained from complex treatment with metformin, a drug that lowers blood sugar levels. Therapy necessarily includes a diet for weight loss. The daily energy value of foods should not exceed 1800 kcal. Reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates and fats, especially of animal origin. Nutrition includes vegetables, fruits high in fiber, lean meats, and dairy products.

If conservative treatment methods do not produce results, they switch to surgical ones. The operation is performed by laparoscopy. There are two types of surgical correction - drilling or removal of the thickened ovarian capsule, and wedge resection. After removing part of the ovary or its capsule, the release of the egg from the follicle is facilitated. Pregnancy in many women with polycystic disease occurs already in the first menstrual cycle following surgery. If it is not possible to get pregnant within six months, they move on to other methods of treating infertility.

Polycystic disease and pregnancy

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome? Such cases do occur, because ovulation with this pathology occurs from time to time. But in most cases, the disease leads to infertility. The prognosis worsens with age; after thirty years, pregnancy in women with polycystic disease occurs extremely rarely. This is due to the fact that the ovarian capsule by that time is significantly thickened, making the release of the egg from the follicle almost impossible. Male sex hormones, an excess of which is typical for patients with polycystic disease, also prevent the maturation of eggs.

How does the disease affect pregnancy? If pregnancy occurs, it may occur with complications. They are also associated with hormonal imbalances in a woman’s body. In the first half, the risk of miscarriage is increased due to a lack of progesterone synthesis by the corpus luteum. To maintain pregnancy during this period, Duphaston or Urozhestan, containing synthetic analogs of progesterone, are prescribed. In the second half of pregnancy, placental insufficiency is often observed, which also requires treatment. Many women experience premature birth and labor disturbances, both in the first and last stages.

It is quite possible for women with polycystic disease to become pregnant and bear a healthy child. Therefore, you should not despair when making this diagnosis. The main thing is to start treatment on time and not wait for the problem to be solved on its own. I shouldn’t hope that I’ll be lucky and just get pregnant. Without adequate therapy or laparoscopy, the chances of conceiving a child with polycystic ovaries and irregular periods decrease every year. Time flies quickly; in a few years, even assisted reproductive technologies will not help the patient.

How is infertility associated with polycystic disease treated?

What is the likelihood of pregnancy with polycystic disease? After this, 40% of women manage to cure the disease and conceive a child on their own. If therapy does not help you get pregnant naturally, move on to other methods. If the patency of the fallopian tubes is preserved, ovarian stimulation is performed. It consists of several stages. From the 5th to the 9th day of the cycle, the drug Clomiphene is administered; it regulates the level of estrogen in the blood and stimulates the production of gonadotropins. Starting from the 11-12th day of the cycle, the growth of the follicle is monitored under ultrasound control. If it increases normally, drugs with hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) are administered on days 15-16. They stimulate the rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg. The next day after the hCG injection, sexual intercourse is performed. Immediately after it, progesterone preparations are administered to maintain pregnancy (Duphaston, Urozhestan).

If, after ovarian stimulation, conception does not occur naturally, proceed to in vitro fertilization. The IVF technique has received positive reviews from patients and doctors; any forum will tell you about it. It gives women a chance to become mothers even in severe cases of infertility. To carry out fertilization, mature eggs are removed by laparoscopy, mixed with sperm and nutrient medium, and incubated in a thermostat. After 2-5 days, the embryos are transplanted into the uterus, and pregnancy is supported in the first months with progesterone preparations. When it is not possible to obtain the patient’s own eggs, donor eggs are used.

One of the main causes of female infertility is polycystic ovary syndrome. But, fortunately, this disease occurs in only 8% of women, which cannot become pregnant. Of course, polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy are a serious illness that needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Moreover, the sooner treatment is started, the faster a woman will be able to get pregnant and cope with this serious illness.

What is polycystic ovary syndrome?

Concept polycystic disease- This is a functional pathology of the ovaries, which develops quite quickly due to neurometabolic failures. Often this disease is associated with a violation of some parts of the female body. These include:
  1. synthesis disorder
  2. increased production of androgens
  3. folliculogenesis
These causes cause small cysts on the surface of the ovaries, due to which the egg loses the ability to leave the ovary. As a result, this pathology leads to female infertility, which, unfortunately, is not treated.

Causes

Experts still cannot identify the specific causes of this disease. Often, with the development of polycystic disorders of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, hypothalamus and the ovaries themselves are to blame. In addition, the disease can develop due to improper production of hormones located in the thyroid and pancreas.

An abnormal decrease in insulin sensitivity in muscle and adipose tissue plays a significant role in the development of the disease. As a result, insulin resistance occurs in the body, which causes stimulation of the ovaries.

Or another possible cause of this disease: ovarian tissue becomes insulin sensitive over time. And, as you know, these female organs are characterized by increased sensitivity to this hormone. As a result, polycystic disease begins during pregnancy, which can cause significant harm not only to the woman, but also to the baby.


Signs of pregnancy with polycystic ovary syndrome are quite characteristic. These include:
  1. Chronic pelvic infections
  2. Genetic predisposition
  3. Regular stress
  4. Overweight
  5. Complication after childbirth or during pregnancy
Pregnancy after polycystic ovary syndrome is possible. Moreover, after complete treatment of this disease, a woman will be able to get pregnant in a short time, since all pelvic organs will be healthy.

Symptoms of the disease

Polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy are inextricably linked, since pregnancy can easily “give way” to this disease.

The most common symptoms of this unpleasant disease are:

  1. high levels of androgen (male hormone)
  2. menstrual irregularities, which consist of a long break between menstruation (more than 35 days)
  3. hypermenorrhea
  4. infertility along with failure to produce an egg
  5. acanthosis (covering of areas of the skin with pigment spots)
  6. thickening of the uterine walls
  7. cysts in the ovaries that make them significantly larger
There are quite a few symptoms of this disease, unlike other diseases (,). Therefore, if a woman is concerned about one of them while carrying a baby, she should immediately seek help from a specialist who will help get rid of the symptoms and also ensure the safety of the fetus.

Treatment of polycystic disease

Polycystic ovaries and pregnancy require quick and timely treatment. It, in turn, is divided into a medical, conservative method, as well as a minimally invasive intervention.


The conservative method in our time is considered the most preferable: its basis is to correct the restoration of menstruation and normalize the secretion of hormones. Thanks to this method, any woman has a real chance to give birth to a healthy baby. With this method, a pregnant woman is prescribed:
  1. Some medications that will not harm the fetus.
  2. A special diet necessary for weight correction.
  3. Estrogen analogues.
  4. Special drugs that allow you to restore the peptide hormone in the right amount.
Such treatment allows you to get rid of the disease in a short time, because polycystic and pregnancy are two incompatible things. Laparoscopy for polycystic ovaries and pregnancy are also common treatments for this disease.

If this method does not help the woman get rid of the disease, specialists will prescribe ovarian resection, which leads to infertility. That is why a woman should never think about pregnancy if she feels the first signs of polycystic disease. Otherwise, her baby may be born with health problems or developmental disabilities.

How can you get pregnant with polycystic disease?

Is pregnancy possible with polycystic ovary syndrome? Surely this question is asked by a huge number of women who have been overtaken by this unpleasant disease. In fact, this is not such a serious disease, the presence of which can put a “cross” on the child. Although polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy are opposites, any woman can become pregnant with this pathology, although this is often difficult.

For patients with this disease who want to become pregnant, a specialist will prescribe oral contraceptives that will help normalize the menstrual cycle. After this, the doctor will stimulate ovulation, thanks to which it will be possible to find out the day the egg is released from the ovary. If conception does not occur within 3 months, the woman will be prescribed the drug Progesterone, which will support a poorly functioning egg.

Immediately after conception, a specialist will monitor to ensure that the baby does not lag behind the normal development.

Polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy
- This is a common disease in our time, which carries with it many symptoms. If it is not stopped in time, polycystic disease can lead to unpleasant consequences, the worst of which is infertility.