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Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome and how to cure PCOS to make this possible? Polycystic ovary syndrome during pregnancy: symptoms and treatment Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic disease.

Content

Any woman sooner or later comes to the idea of motherhood, but not everyone succeeds in conceiving a child on the first try. In some cases, time is required, and in other clinical situations, treatment is required, for example, with polycystic disease. If the disease is not eliminated, the issue of motherhood comes into question. So is it possible to cure polycystic ovary syndrome?

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome?

A woman’s hormonal background is directly related to her reproductive ability, so an imbalance in this matter can lead to diagnosed infertility. When the concentration of androgens in the female body is pathologically elevated, polycystic ovary syndrome progresses. The chances of getting pregnant are still there, but their rates are decreasing. In addition, it is important not only to successfully conceive a baby, but also to safely carry a baby for 9 months - this is where problems often arise. Immediate treatment and preservation of pregnancy during hospitalization are required.

How to cure polycystic ovary syndrome

The disease is observed by a gynecologist, and the specialist’s main task during his patient’s pregnancy is to prevent early miscarriage in polycystic disease. Since the characteristic disease creates favorable conditions for diagnosed infertility, effective treatment will help you get pregnant. To get rid of the pathology, it is important to achieve follicle maturation, ovulation and conception using conservative methods. The sooner you pay attention to the problem, the higher the likelihood of soon experiencing the joy of motherhood. The approach to the problem is complex.

Pregnancy after ovarian laparoscopy for polycystic disease

It is important to treat ovarian dysfunction even during pregnancy. Laparoscopy is an invasive surgical method that allows you to study the real condition of the organs of the reproductive system through 3 holes. Doctors pass a laparoscope, equipped with a special camera and lighting, into the first hole, and the other two are needed to insert the remaining laparoscopic devices. A complex manipulation that requires special professionalism.

This surgical intervention is accompanied by the introduction of carbon dioxide, as a result of which the abdomen voluntarily inflates. When using this method, the doctor can determine the nature of the pathology, its etiology, and predict the clinical outcome. Ideally, laparoscopy is appropriate before pregnancy, and after conception there is a risk of serious complications of intrauterine development. This way a cyst or other dangerous neoplasm is visualized on the screen with the possibility of its further study and excision.

Ovarian Drilling

Progressive pregnancy with PCOS is accompanied by a disrupted ovulation process, so it can end in miscarriage at an early stage. Such trouble occurs at any age, while diagnosis becomes a tragedy. To successfully get pregnant and carry a child to term, doctors prescribe ovarian drilling after a set of tests has been performed. At the end of the operation, the menstrual cycle and ovulation process are restored, and the threat of miscarriage, even in the absence of long-term drug treatment, is minimal. The essence of the procedure is to perform a puncture in the diseased ovary.

How to get pregnant with PCOS

Irregular menstrual cycle and lack of ovulation are the main causes of this disease. Polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy are compatible concepts, but long-term drug treatment is first required, and surgery is not excluded. The patient is prescribed hormonal therapy to normalize androgen levels and enhance egg production. Planning a pregnancy is realistic only after six months, when the doctor stops taking hormonal medications. Common methods on how to get pregnant are as follows.

Increased estrogen levels in women

Oral administration of tablets and subcutaneous injections help normalize the patient’s hormonal levels and solve the problem of getting pregnant. In practice, this is a long process, which is not always characterized by positive dynamics; serious complications of reproductive function are possible. The proposed medications belong to the progesterone series, which are prescribed exclusively by the attending physician as part of a comprehensive treatment regimen:

Clomiphene is a combination drug whose active components block estrogen-sensitive receptors. In this way, the menstrual cycle is restored, ovulation occurs, and the intensity of hormonal disorders is reduced.
Diane-35 is a well-known contraceptive pill that suppresses the excessive activity of male androgens. The antiandrogenic function is observed as part of complex therapy after competent prescription of optimal daily doses by a specialist.
Flutamide complements the action of oral contraceptives and effectively blocks androgens. This combination not only reduces the intensity of male type symptoms, but also promotes the successful onset of ovulation.

Stimulation of hormone production

Increasing the concentration of endrogens in the blood will provide a long-awaited balance in the female body, favorable conditions for pregnancy. Prescribed medications are taken in courses, where a single dose is associated with a specific day of the menstrual cycle. The regimen for taking the synthetic hormone Clomiphene is as follows:

Take from the 5th to the 9th day of the menstrual cycle for 4-5 months; if necessary, treatment can be extended to six months.
Every month, an increase in the total dosage is indicated, an increase in female hormones in the blood - 200 mg per day.
In the absence of positive dynamics of polycystic ovary syndrome, the doctor introduces a replacement and prescribes other synthetic hormones, for example, Humegon and Pergonal can restore the functions of polycystic ovaries.

Antiestrogens

Pregnancy with ovarian pathology remains under threat of miscarriage for the entire 9 months, and some women are completely unable to conceive a child. The ovaries can be treated with antiestrogens, which regulate hormonal levels and stabilize the amount of estrogens and androgens at an acceptable level. Treatment is carried out under the supervision of a doctor; methods of superficial and folk self-medication for this disease are excluded. The appearance of antiestrogens will speed up the healing process; it is especially recommended to pay attention to the following medications:

Cyclofenil is an androgenic steroid, the daily doses of which are important not to overestimate and should be carefully monitored.
Proviron is available in the form of capsules for oral administration; it is also considered an ovulation stimulator and supports the course of pregnancy.
Triptorelin is a gentle medication for treating polycystic ovary syndrome, but achieving a general therapeutic effect requires time and the presence of other hormonal agents.

Ovulation stimulation

Metrodin is a synthetic hormonal drug that can solve the problem of how to get pregnant for a woman with an illness. The active ingredients stimulate the ovulation process and increase the chances of successful conception.
Clostilbegit is another synthetic drug of hormonal origin, intended to activate the ovulation process. It and its full analog Clomid act on the same principle and speed up the process of conception.

Video

Often, polycystic ovary syndrome prevents pregnancy, and its long course can cause infertility. To restore reproductive function, it is necessary to conduct a full examination of the body to identify the cause of the disease. After eliminating it, a woman has every chance of conceiving a healthy child.

Reasons for lack of pregnancy with polycystic disease

The ovaries are responsible for the development of follicles from which the egg is released for further fertilization. Normally, this happens every month and is called ovulation. When the menstrual cycle fails, the process of follicle maturation is disrupted, which provokes the appearance of cysts. Each formation is a long-developing follicle that has not burst for the subsequent release of the egg. When multiple cysts are detected, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is diagnosed.

The main causes of polycystic ovary syndrome that prevent pregnancy:

irregularity of the menstrual cycle - its duration in the presence of irregularities can reach several months, while ovulation can occur every cycle, in this case, in its rare occurrence, it is considered the main problem with conception;
lack of ovulation - the egg is not released, therefore, fertilization does not occur;
hormonal imbalance - provokes disruption of the menstrual cycle and the ovulation process or prevents the attachment of the egg to the walls of the uterus.

The most common cause of PCOS is hormonal imbalance, which manifests itself in changes in the functioning of endocrine organs.

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic disease?

Pregnancy with polycystic disease can occur in the presence of ovulation, but its chance is significantly reduced compared to the chance of conception in a healthy woman. Fertilization can occur in the following cases:

the presence of rare or regular ovulation;
normal level of progesterone, necessary for fixation of the fertilized egg on the walls of the uterus.

In the absence of these factors, it is almost impossible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome. The reason for this may be not only the pathology itself, but also other conditions of the body that complicate fertilization:

low patency of the fallopian tubes;
violation of egg maturation, its inferiority;
lack of menstrual cycle;
hormonal imbalance.

There is an opportunity to increase the likelihood of pregnancy against the background of polycystic ovaries, which consists in taking hormonal drugs, artificial stimulation of ovulation and other treatment methods.

Signs of PCOS during pregnancy

Often, polycystic ovaries are detected in pregnant women only during a routine diagnostic examination. This is due to the rare presence of any symptoms. The manifestation of the latter is likely with a large number of cysts or their large size.

Symptoms of the disease during pregnancy:

excess body weight – signals a hormonal imbalance in the body;
male pattern hair and acne on the face are a sign of increased levels of male sex hormones;
poor condition of hair, skin and nails;
nagging pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region;
skin pigmentation.

Pain with PCOS in pregnant women is stronger due to increased pressure on the organs of the growing uterus.

Is it possible for polycystic disease to disappear with pregnancy?

In most cases, polycystic disease is a consequence of hormonal imbalance. Pregnancy does not help get rid of the formations, but it can stop their growth. This is due to the suspension of the ovulation process due to the lack of need for new fertilization. Therefore, cysts on organs stop growing and their number does not increase. Consequently, during pregnancy, the progression of the disease stops.

With further disruption of hormone levels after conception and lack of maintenance therapy, cystic formations can increase in size.

After childbirth, the ovaries resume their work to continue producing eggs. During this period, the woman’s hormonal balance has not yet been restored, so PCOS often returns and begins to progress.

Read also Methods of ovarian stimulation for polycystic disease

Diagnosis of polycystic disease

To make a diagnosis, you must undergo the following types of examinations:

gynecological examination;
blood chemistry;
determining the level of glucose and the amount of cholesterol in the blood;
study of hormonal levels;
Ultrasound of the genital organs.

Diagnosis during pregnancy is carried out in the same way as in women who are not carrying a baby.

How to cure polycystic ovary syndrome to get pregnant

The most popular treatment for polycystic disease is drug therapy. It is supplemented by folk recipes, dieting and controlling your own weight. If there is no effectiveness, surgical intervention is prescribed.

Oral contraceptives

With the help of oral contraceptives, a woman’s menstrual cycle and hormonal levels are normalized. During the period of taking them, the ovaries do not work, which helps them recover. Oral contraceptives are prescribed strictly based on the results of hormone tests; choosing them independently can provoke even greater disturbances in the body.

Birth control pills for PCOS:

Yarina;
Jess;
Belara;
Tri-Regol;
Diana-35;
Regulon.

Treatment with oral contraceptives is prescribed for a period of 3-6 months. In the future, they can be taken without interruption for a long time to protect against unwanted pregnancy.

Immediately after discontinuation of oral contraceptives, the likelihood of conception increases significantly due to the increased work of the ovaries.

Hormone therapy

Preparations containing a synthetic analogue of progesterone are used to support the course of the menstrual cycle. They are prescribed in the second phase of the cycle, immediately after the onset of ovulation - from days 16 to 25. They help move the egg through the fallopian tube for fertilization and secure the fertilized egg on the walls of the uterus. Taking them reduces the number and size of cystic formations.

Hormonal drugs for polycystic disease:

Duphaston;
Utrozhestan.

The course of treatment is about 3-4 months. Often these drugs are used in combination with medications to stimulate ovulation.

Stimulation of the ovulation process

This stimulation for PCOS is to normalize the menstrual cycle,
regulation of the level of female hormones and the process of follicle maturation due to the action of drugs. Their reception is prescribed from the 5-9th day of the cycle and lasts about 5 days. Treatment is carried out under strict ultrasound control, the results of which determine the dosage of medications and the duration of their use. To make therapy more effective, the doctor prescribes regular blood tests to check hormone levels.

Taking Metformin

Prescribed for polycystic disease due to diabetes mellitus. Normalizes hormonal levels, synthesis and absorption of glucose by cells, reduces appetite, thereby eliminating excess body weight. Its use helps restore the menstrual cycle and ovulation.

The diet for polycystic ovary syndrome should be as balanced as possible, taking into account the following rules:

eating foods with a low glycemic index, i.e. slow carbohydrates - cottage cheese, fish, meat, mushrooms, peppers, cherries, broccoli, kiwi, zucchini, oranges, eggs, cereals;
preparing meals taking into account equal amounts of proteins and carbohydrates;
eating small portions 5-6 times a day;
a large amount of fish and meat in the diet;
refusal of fatty and heavy foods - sausage, lard, full-fat milk, sour cream and cottage cheese, smoked, fried;
consumption of foods containing fiber - fruits, vegetables, berries, bran.

Following a diet will help restore glucose levels in the body, hormonal balance, lose weight and improve overall well-being. Additionally, you should perform moderate physical exercise - the best choice would be cardio training in the form of running, walking and cycling, yoga, Pilates and fitness.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common pathology in gynecology. In recent years, the percentage of women suffering from this disease has been growing. This may be partly due to improved quality of diagnosis of polycystic disease. This ovarian pathology affects not only a woman’s well-being and appearance, but also her ability to bear children. What is this connected with?

Polycystic

This disease of the female genital area has been known in medicine for more than a hundred years. In the literature, it is found under the names polycystic (scleropolycystic) ovary syndrome, or PCOS, as well as Stein-Leventhal disease.

What happens with this pathology? And what reasons cause such changes in the body? PCOS comes in three forms:

central;
adrenal;
ovarian.

These forms may differ somewhat in their manifestations, but in most cases they are characterized by common features. With Stein-Leventhal disease, polycystic transformation of the ovaries and hormonal imbalance in the body are noted.

In addition, this syndrome is manifested by the following symptoms:

Rare, irregular periods, even their absence.
Obesity.
Often acne.
Excessive body hair growth.
Discharge from the mammary glands.
Infertility.

It is the inability to conceive a child in the first place that forces women suffering from PCOS to see a doctor. Are there any ways to solve this problem? How to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome?

Pregnancy with PCOS

The main cause of infertility in polycystic ovary syndrome is a violation of the metabolism of sex hormones. They cause changes in a woman’s appearance and negatively affect her reproductive function. Moreover, over time, a vicious circle forms. PCOS is characterized by obesity, and it is adipose tissue that is the site of accumulation of sex hormones, their kind of depot. This only makes the situation worse.

Stein-Leventhal disease often occurs with excess production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production in nursing mothers.

However, it is hyperprolactinemia - excess prolactin in the blood - that leads to the inability to conceive a baby. After childbirth, this situation is normal and is caused by physiological anovulation. The goal of hyperprolactinemia during this period is to prevent re-pregnancy until the woman’s body has recovered. But with Stein-Leventhal syndrome, this phenomenon takes on a pathological character.

Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome? Are there cases of natural conception or is mandatory medical intervention required? What measures need to be taken to ensure long-awaited motherhood occurs?

Polycystic ovary syndrome and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive concepts. Some women who already have children learn about their diagnosis by chance, during an ultrasound of the genital organs. But most still need to cure the disease, after which the likelihood of successful conception increases significantly.

How to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome? Which doctor should you contact for proper treatment?

Treatment of PCOS

Treatment of this disease significantly increases the likelihood of pregnancy. A positive result with adequate therapy is observed in 80% of women. How exactly should polycystic ovary syndrome be treated? And is it possible to cure this disease?

First of all, if you suspect this disease or complain about infertility, you should contact a gynecologist. He prescribes an appropriate study, which necessarily includes an ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries. It is an ultrasound examination of the genital organs that allows us to confirm this disease.

Depending on the type of disease, appropriate therapy is selected. As a rule, it occurs in three stages:

Corrective therapy – medicinal and non-medicinal.
Hormonal treatment.
Surgical intervention.

Pregnancy is possible after each of these stages. Depending on the form of the disease and its severity, a woman may need different amounts of medical care.

Corrective therapy

This stage involves the normalization of metabolic disorders - carbohydrate and fat, as well as water and electrolyte. To achieve an effect, it is first necessary to combat obesity. In addition, losing weight means eliminating the depot of sex hormones in subcutaneous fat.

It is necessary to treat inflammatory diseases, if any, and concomitant pathologies - chronic extragenital diseases, foci of infections.

Non-drug methods to combat PCOS include:

Diet therapy, nutritional therapy for weight loss.
Therapeutic exercise.
Balneotherapy – treatment with mineral waters.
Mud therapy.
Aerotherapy.
Physiotherapy using natural factors in sanatoriums.

The mere use of non-drug methods can normalize body weight and hormonal balance, restore menstrual function and result in pregnancy. But more often the use of drugs is required.

To treat chronic diseases and foci of infection, doctors use anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. Identified hyperprolactinemia requires suppression of the synthesis of this hormone with special medications - Bromocriptine or Parlodel.

Severe hirsutism, as a rule, indicates the need for therapy with adrenal hormones - glucocorticoids. This treatment is usually carried out two to three weeks before the second stage.

Hormonal treatment

At the second stage of PCOS treatment, sex hormones and steroids are used. These can be estrogens, gestagens, drugs that stimulate ovulation.

There are several treatment regimens with sex hormones depending on the form of the disease:

The use of estrogens and gestagens according to a cyclic scheme, taking into account the phases of the menstrual cycle. This therapy lasts up to two months, after which clomiphene citrate, or clostilbegit, is prescribed. The use of clomiphene citrate can induce ovulation and make conception possible.
Treatment with gonadotropins, which are also ovulation stimulants. They are often combined with clomiphene citrate to enhance the effect.
The use of synthetic progestins - two-component ones, including estrogens and gestagens. These drugs are essentially contraceptives; they suppress all parts of the reproductive function. But contraceptives have a rebound effect - stimulating ovulation after they are discontinued. It is this property that leads to pregnancy against the background of polycystic ovary syndrome. The effect can last up to three months, sometimes longer.
Isolated treatment with gestagens. This method is used when there is excessive growth of the endometrium. As a rule, gynecologists prescribe pregnin, norxolut or progesterone according to a certain scheme, in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. If necessary, hormones can be prescribed for a longer period - 3 months. However, after this the woman undergoes a follow-up examination - ultrasound, hysteroscopy.

Hormonal treatment shows good results and leads to pregnancy in many women with polycystic ovary syndrome. If it turns out to be ineffective, they resort to surgical intervention.

Surgery

Surgical treatment for PCOS involves resection of the ovary - removal of part of it. This is an effective method, after which pregnancy occurs in most women and in a short time.

Previously, the operation was performed by laparotomy - dissection of the abdominal wall. Modern medicine uses more gentle techniques - laparoscopy, after which there are no scars and the percentage of postoperative complications is minimal. Also, unlike laparotomy, this method reduces the likelihood of developing adhesions in the abdominal cavity.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is not a death sentence today.

Timely and competent treatment in most cases allows not only to restore the menstrual cycle, but also leads to the onset of a long-awaited pregnancy.

Today, you can increasingly hear the depressing diagnosis “Polycystic disease”. The increase in the number of women with this pathology is associated with several reasons: improved quality of diagnosis, a real increase in incidence, and expansion of the concept. Most often, a girl finds out about this problem when she has been planning a pregnancy for some time without success. Indeed, the symptoms of the disease are ambiguous, and treatment is ineffective. Is it possible to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome and what should be done for this?

Read in this article

What are the dangers of PCOS?

The main danger of polycystic disease is that there is no single theory about the causes of its occurrence. Therefore, there is no effective treatment. And polycystic disease ultimately entails many problems for a woman: from a tendency to be overweight and menstrual irregularities to infertility and an increased risk of cancer of the genital organs.

Primary or secondary, with the onset of puberty, a girl experiences an imbalance of sex hormones and an incorrect response is formed from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus to them. This may be caused by adrenal hyperplasia and increased secretion of androgens, or directly by problems in the ovaries.

As a result, there is no cyclic production of sex hormones, and this is a prerequisite for normal follicle maturation and ovulation. Soon a dense sheath of connective tissue forms on the ovaries. Hidden underneath are many small follicles that once wanted to reach the final stage of their development. The more pronounced the polycystic disease, the more clearly the signs are visible during ultrasound examination. Sometimes the ovaries can be compared in their structure to the honeycombs of bees.

So, the risks of the following diseases are significantly increased in women who have any signs of polycystic ovary syndrome:

Problems with conception. Women with PCOS often ovulate extremely infrequently, sometimes once a year or not at all. There are also difficulties in the growth of the endometrium and its subsequent rejection.
Obesity. Both hyperandrogenemia itself and the insulin resistance that occurs with PCOS lead to excess weight. Extra pounds close a vicious circle, increasing the formation of estrogen, which leads to further diseases.
Impaired glucose tolerance, which significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Increased likelihood of endometrial and cervical cancer, as well as all kinds of hyperplastic processes (polyps, etc.).
Also, with polycystic disease, a number of somatic problems gradually appear, such as arterial hypertension and many others.

Symptoms of polycystic disease

Primary polycystic disease, Stein-Leventhal syndrome, and a secondary form of the disease can be distinguished. In the latter case, the pathology is formed under various neuroendocrine conditions - Itsenko-Cushing's disease, adrenogenital syndrome, hyperprolactinemia, etc. The clinical picture of both has no fundamental differences; one symptom or group always predominates.

When changes develop against the background of other diseases, one should talk about polycystic ovaries, and not about the syndrome as a whole. Since in practice these concepts are not differentiated in most cases, the frequency of the diagnosis of PCOS has increased in recent years.

Most often, symptoms of polycystic disease are detected during puberty. At this point, the girl’s menstrual cycle is not completely established until two years after menarche. If mother and daughter do not pay special attention to this, or the failures are not critical, the pathology is diagnosed when problems with conception arise.

Classic PCOS has a fairly clear clinical picture, but is much less common. More often you have to deal with the prevalence of some symptoms.

The main manifestations of PCOS include the following symptoms:

. In most cases this is oligomenorrhea, sometimes. During long breaks between menstruation, the discharge may be quite heavy, often with clots. This promotes endometrial hyperplasia and the formation of polyps inside the uterine cavity. If you do not monitor your health and do not carry out treatment, endometrial cancer may subsequently develop. Another option would be the type of opsomenorrhea.
Disorders of ovulation and the menstrual cycle lead to infertility and the need for various types of treatment to be able to conceive. When plotting the graph, violations are clearly visible. Therefore, almost all women have a question about how to get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Hirsutism of varying severity. This can be either an inconspicuous mustache above the upper lip or significant hair on the chin, inner thighs, abdomen, mammary glands, etc.
In 60% of cases, women with PCOS are overweight. This is due to a change in metabolism with a predominance of androgens, which are converted into estrogens in adipose tissue.
Insulin resistance caused by increased levels of male sex hormones in the blood. Its level in the blood during the study exceeds normal values several times. This can ultimately lead to diabetes mellitus, although the impairment of glucose utilization remains undetectable for a long time.
Imbalance of sex hormones in the blood according to test results.
Enlarged ovaries with many small cysts.

Watch the video about the disease:

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of PCOS is made when three criteria are met. These include:

menstrual irregularities of various types;
detection of increased male sex hormones in the blood;
enlarged and changed ovaries according to the results of ultrasound examination.

All other tests and examinations are in addition to the main one to prescribe the most optimal treatment and choose tactics for pregnancy planning.

Related diseases are polycystic ovaries (only according to ultrasound results) without significant menstrual irregularities, as well as idiopathic hyperinsulinemia without an increase in the level of androgens in the blood or any other changes. These two conditions are also often interpreted as PCOS, which is not entirely true.

The question of whether it is possible to become pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome naturally or whether some additional intervention is necessary (laparoscopy, ovulation induction, etc.) can only be answered after a comprehensive examination and analysis of the data obtained.

Treatment

Such operations allow you to solve several issues at once:

determine whether there are other objective reasons that may affect the likelihood of conception;
check the patency of the fallopian tubes by performing hysterosalpingography;
if necessary, fibromatous nodes, cysts, etc. can be removed;
During laparoscopy for polycystic disease, the dense tunica albuginea is partially removed, or incisions are made on the ovaries, or their partial resection occurs, which depends on the clinical situation and the severity of the disease.

The likelihood of pregnancy after laparoscopy increases several times. After surgery, you should start planning for the next ovulation, sometimes as early as 5-7 days after the intervention. Sometimes, in order to increase the chances of conceiving, additional stimulation of ovulation may be performed.

Current questions for expectant mothers

All treatment, especially hormonal treatment, must be prescribed by a doctor. Only a specialist can recommend safe and effective treatment regimens.

But no matter how good the doctor is, patients often have questions that they do not have time to get answers to during the appointment. These include:

Is pregnancy possible with PCOS without any treatment or induction?

Yes, there is a possibility of conception, but sometimes efforts last for years or even decades. It all depends on the severity of the disorders and hormonal changes. But you shouldn’t take such risks, because with increasing age, even reproductive technologies do not give such high results.

For what purpose are hormonal contraceptives prescribed if a woman wants to get pregnant?

The fact is that after taking oral contraceptives for 3 - 4 months (no longer), subsequently, after discontinuation, a rebound effect occurs - a sharp increase in pituitary hormones responsible for the growth and maturation of follicles. Often in such situations, twins and triplets are born to healthy girls. In polycystic disease, this acts as a natural stimulation of ovulation.

Where to start treating polycystic disease if you want to get pregnant?

Of course, you should contact a specialist. This could be a reproductive specialist, a gynecologist-endocrinologist, or a regular antenatal clinic doctor. Even before the visit, you can plot your basal temperature over 2-3 cycles and take a spermogram for your husband. The doctor will prescribe all further studies as necessary.

Is ovulation stimulation dangerous?

Indeed, constant hormonal shocks are not entirely harmless. Therefore, they must be carried out only under the supervision of a specialist. It is reliably known that with frequent stimulation of ovulation and multiple IVF attempts, the risk of ovarian cancer increases. It also affects the functioning of all internal secretion organs (thyroid and pancreas, adrenal glands, etc.). The mammary glands also react to hormonal shocks by increasing the frequency and severity of mastopathy.

What other risks do women with polycystic disease have during pregnancy?

Women with some hormonal disorders, including PCOS, are at risk for miscarriage (higher likelihood of non-developing pregnancy and premature birth), labor anomalies, fetal pathology, infectious complications, development of gestational diabetes mellitus and varying degrees of preeclampsia, bleeding (placental abruption, etc.) Therefore, they should be under the supervision of doctors at all times.

Polycystic disease is a serious disease, the cause and mechanisms of development of which have not been fully established. This pathology, in addition to increasing the risk of developing other gynecological problems, reduces the likelihood of independent successful conception and subsequent pregnancy in women.

They are more likely than others to face infertility problems. Only a specialist after examination can determine the true cause and prescribe the correct treatment (ovulation stimulation, laparoscopy, etc.). But sometimes even they do not give a definite answer as to whether it is possible to cure polycystic ovary syndrome and become pregnant in a particular situation.

What is polycystic ovary syndrome

So, first, a little theory. A woman’s reproductive function is realized with the participation of the following organs: the uterus, connected to it by the fallopian tubes of two ovaries and the vagina. During each cycle (relatively speaking, monthly), one (sometimes, but much less often several) mature egg is released from the ovary. If an egg is fertilized by a sperm, it attaches to and begins to develop, in other words, pregnancy occurs. Otherwise, the unfertilized egg comes out, which we observe as

Did you know? When a girl is born, her ovaries initially already contain all the eggs “allotted” to her by nature. There are a lot of them, about 400 thousand. But they do not mature simultaneously, but sequentially, during a woman’s reproductive age, leaving one at a time from the ovary to the uterus. It is this regular process that is called ovulation.

In fact, during the cycle, not one, but several vesicles begin to develop, which are the embryonic form of the egg, the so-called follicles. Over a lifetime, their number can reach five hundred. But usually only one of them completes this process. Before leaving the ovary, such a mature egg reaches a size of about 2 cm and looks like a small cyst.

However, in addition to the formation of the egg, another process takes place in the ovaries - a hormonal one. It is necessary to prepare the uterine mucosa for a fertilized egg (single-cell embryo) to be immersed in it. For this purpose, a woman’s body synthesizes female sex hormones, as well as testosterone and other male sex hormones. If fertilization does not occur, the level of female hormones decreases, and the mucous membrane of the uterine body prepared with their help is excreted from the body during menstruation.

So, in a simplified statement, it occurs in a normal state in a woman of reproductive age. But sometimes certain anomalies arise. In particular, it happens that none of the follicles that begin to actively develop in due time never matures into a full-fledged egg and does not come out, thus ovulation does not occur. At the same time, the “underdeveloped” follicles begin to shrink again, that is, a reverse development cycle occurs, the so-called atresia of the follicles, which at this pathological stage form numerous cysts.
It is this condition that is called polycystic ovary syndrome, which was first described in the mid-30s of the last century by American scientists I. Stein and M. Leventhal, and therefore also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome. Scientists noted that against the background of enlarged ovaries, in which up to a dozen cysts are found and the absence of ovulation, women with this pathology experience a hormonal imbalance, expressed in an excess of male sex hormones.

Polycystic ovary syndrome occurs in every third to sixth woman out of a hundred and ranks among the leading causes of infertility. It is clear that the absence of such a phenomenon as ovulation excludes the possibility of a woman becoming pregnant; another question is why this occurs and whether it can be eliminated.

Causes of the disease

As a matter of fact, calling polycystic ovary syndrome a disease is not entirely correct (it’s like calling diarrhea a disease). We are talking about a syndrome that can be caused by various reasons.

Important! Disease (or illness)-this is a certain violation of the normal state of the body, a symptom-external manifestation of a particular disease, and the syndrome- this is a set of symptoms on the basis of which a specialist makes a diagnosis (that is, establishes a disease) and, accordingly, prescribes treatment. For example, a symptom of the flu is a fever, but this does not mean that if you have a fever, you have the flu.

Returning to the topic, it should be noted that modern medicine does not know for certain what exactly causes polycystic ovary syndrome. Various assumptions have been made about this. Thus, it is believed that pathology can occur against the background of:

1) brain dysfunction, in particular its departments such as the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, as a result of which the hormonal balance is disrupted: the level of luteinizing hormone increases three times (sometimes against the background of increased production of growth hormone) in relation to follicle-stimulating hormone. Both of these hormones are responsible for the release of the egg, but such an imbalance prevents ovulation; 2) malfunction of the adrenal glands, resulting in increased production of male sex hormones in the ovaries;

3)diseases of the ovaries themselves, manifested in menstrual irregularities, absence of menstruation, increased secretion of female hormones;

4) pancreatic dysfunction, when the body cannot use the insulin it produces, and the resulting excess of this hormone also leads to an increase in the concentration of luteinizing hormone in the pituitary gland and androgens (male sex hormones) in the ovaries.
One way or another, hormonal imbalance leads to the fact that the follicles grow very actively, but cannot turn into a full-fledged egg. In this case, the ovarian capsule becomes denser, and numerous immature follicles begin to form cystic formations, leading to menstrual irregularities, and if left untreated, to infertility.

Important! Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often develop obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, this is explained by the fact that these pathologies are caused by the same reasons- increased insulin levels and body resistance to this hormone. On the other hand, obesity itself contributes to both the development of this type of diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Hormonal disorders, in turn, can be caused by various reasons. Sometimes this problem is hereditary in nature, sometimes it arises as a consequence of an infection or emotional shock experienced, and sometimes pathology can even be caused by a sharp change in living conditions (in particular, moving to a different climate zone). Irregular sex life is another cause of polycystic disease.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome become clear from the very name of the pathology and what we already know about its causes. Thus, due to the formation of numerous cysts in the ovaries, they increase in size.

Did you know? It is interesting that despite the name of the syndrome, which does not seem to allow for different interpretations (polycystic disease literally means at least several cysts), it is not necessarily characterized by the presence of cysts in the ovaries: in the early stages of the pathology there may not be any at all.

The condition also manifests itself in various menstrual disorders - from the complete absence of menstruation, which is caused by anovulation and the abnormal effect of female sex hormones on the mucous membrane, to, on the contrary, cyclic uterine bleeding. But usually the syndrome still manifests itself in rare and scanty menstruation, when the cycle lasts more than a month, sometimes there are only six or a little more of them in a year.
As a result, a symptom of polycystic ovaries is infertility, that is, non-occurrence of pregnancy with regular sexual activity.

But there are also signs not directly related to a woman’s reproductive organs that can be considered as external symptoms of this pathology. In particular, as already mentioned, polycystic disease often occurs against the background of weight gain, which is associated with the body’s failure to accept insulin and impaired self-regulation of glucose levels. In addition, the increased secretion of male sex hormones that accompanies the syndrome manifests itself externally in the form of excess hair growth, often not at all in the places where the woman would like (for example, above the upper lip, on the stomach, etc.), while how the hair on your head, on the contrary, can begin to fall out. Oily, dandruff, sibororrhea - also a consequence of increased secretion of androgens (male sex hormones). In addition, hormonal imbalance can manifest itself in the appearance of acne, as well as increased skin pigmentation, including black spots.
Among other symptoms of polycystic disease, one can also highlight the formation of folds or (problem areas are hips, buttocks). The pathology may be accompanied by frequent awakenings at night, which are caused by involuntary stops in breathing during.

An unpleasant emotional state, which is commonly called PMS (premenstrual syndrome) in women with such disorders can last almost constantly: the patient feels discomfort, mood swings, depression and irritability, or, on the contrary, lethargy, drowsiness, indifference, as well as swelling and soreness and other unpleasant sensations characteristic of PMS.

Examinations and tests

However, the combination of all the symptoms listed above (irritability, obesity, abdominal pain, increased hair growth and failure to become pregnant) does not give reason to talk about the presence of Stein-Leventhal syndrome. A final diagnosis can only be made on the basis of a serious diagnosis, which includes the following stages:

1) a general examination of the patient in order to identify those symptoms of pathology that have an external manifestation or can be established from the words of the woman herself;

2) an increase in the size and compaction of the ovaries makes it possible to establish a gynecological examination on the chair, as well as the pelvic organs (which also allows us to record increased blood flow in the vessels of the ovaries);
3) a serious blood test, including:

A sedentary lifestyle, an abundance of sweets and the extra pounds gained as a result - this is what brings us closer not only to diabetes, but also to other hormonal disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility.

It is easier to prevent this condition than to fight it later, but in any case, if a woman is obese due to polycystic disease, it is necessary:

eat foods that are lower in calories, giving preference to vegetables, fruits, and lean meats and avoiding sweets and starchy foods in every possible way;
limit the consumption of smoked, spicy, pickled, salty and spicy foods;
stop drinking alcohol;
move more, preferably in the fresh air.

Surprisingly, sometimes weight normalization, achieved as a result of proper nutrition and nutrition, restores insulin levels in the blood, eliminates the problem of tissue resistance to it, and ovulation is restored without additional measures, in particular without taking hormonal drugs. However, you should not self-medicate in such situations; it is better to consult a nutritionist.

Returning to the drug treatment of infertility resulting from polycystic ovary syndrome, several groups of drugs can be distinguished. For example, Klostilbegit directly affects the ovaries, stimulating the maturation of a full-fledged egg. Clomiphene citrate is also a drug that stimulates the ovaries. , prescribed for this pathology along with and Crinon, is essentially synthetic progesterone. This drug is usually prescribed to help ensure regularity in your menstrual cycle. If you take it from the 16th to the 25th day after the start of your period, you can simulate the second phase of the cycle (as we have already said, the first phase in Stein-Leventhal syndrome proceeds normally, problems arise precisely in the second half), resulting in rejection of the mucous membrane of the uterine body.

However, it is important to understand that drugs of this type do not stimulate ovulation and do not treat infertility, so their use for polycystic ovary syndrome is possible only when we are not talking about trying to get pregnant. However, if pregnancy has already occurred, an artificial one allows you to save it, which is also very important, since polycystic not only prevents pregnancy, but also creates an additional threat of miscarriage.

Finally, if the correct diet and hormonal medications do not solve the problem, surgical treatment may be prescribed aimed at resection of the ovaries (can be carried out either classically or using laparoscopy). It should be said that in the recent past, this pathology was mainly treated surgically, while now, with the development of pharmaceuticals, the situation has changed in favor of a conservative solution.

However, after surgery, the problem of infertility caused by polycystic disease is solved in most cases, and the number of premature pregnancies is also reduced (up to six cases out of a hundred). If a woman is unable to become pregnant six months after surgery, there may be other problems to look for besides polycystic disease.

Recently, doctors have begun to use more modern methods of treating polycystic syndrome, aimed at combating the cause of the pathology, and not its external manifestations.

For example, computer reflexology- a new approach to the treatment of various disorders, with the help of which synchronization of the main regulatory systems of the body is ensured, the process of production of sex hormones is restored in the correct ratio (the level of some decreases, others, on the contrary, increases), which allows you to get rid of the problem without and, especially, without operations.
Of course, the future lies in methods that will help establish hormonal balance in the body naturally, and not artificially supply it with missing hormones, but so far such possibilities have not yet found wide application and are not always available.

Is it possible to get pregnant

So, polycystic ovary syndrome is not a final verdict. It is possible to become pregnant with such a pathology, and sometimes, with a mild form of the disorder, pregnancy occurs even in the absence of treatment (although, as was said, the risk of not carrying a child to term is quite high). But if you consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his recommendations, the likelihood of becoming a happy mother of a healthy baby is extremely high!

If the dream of a baby is the meaning of your life, but month after month the long-awaited pregnancy does not occur, - don’t despair, but the sooner you see a doctor and determine the cause of the problem, the higher the likelihood. In addition, you must also contact a gynecologist in case of any disruptions in the menstrual cycle, especially those that arose after infections, stress or other events that affected your normal lifestyle: polycystic ovary syndrome caused by hormonal imbalance is best treated in the early stages, before numerous cysts begin to form. form, and the development of pathology did not lead to serious problems, among which infertility is not the worst. Be careful about your health and everything will be fine!

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