One of the looming concerns of women in their reproductive age is getting pregnant. Most women are not even aware what is PCOS and how it may be preventing them from bearing a child. While PCOS can complicate the process, fortunately, you can still get pregnant. All you need is some determination and the desire to get your health back to normal.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal imbalance where there is an over-production of the male sex hormone – androgen.
This stops women from releasing an egg every month which obstructs the menstrual. Women suffering from PCOS have larger ovaries than usual and an ultrasound scan detects the presence of small-sized cysts on the ovaries. The symptoms do not cause any physical pain in particular by themselves.
So how can you identify the disorder?
PCOS symptoms
Although there are many possible reasons for infertility, PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders among women of reproductive age.
It is so common, 1 in 10 women (or 1 in 5 women in certain regions) are affected by the disorder. Since there is no physical illness or pain, many women do not realise they have PCOS until they try to get pregnant and experience difficulties.
However, the symptoms can be recognized easily:
- Absence of periods or irregularity in periods;
- Heavy periods;
- Infertility;
- Development of acne;
- Unwanted facial hair;
- Mood swings;
- Depression;
- Thinning of the hair;
- Weight gain.
Since PCOS symptoms are not pain-causing, most women ignore them. If you recognize some of the symptoms but you are still unsure, you can consult a fertility specialist to discuss your symptoms in detail.
Your doctor may perform an ultrasound scan of your ovaries. This will reveal the condition if present and your doctor will inform you of the necessary measures to be taken.
If you are someone who’s proactive, you can try healing PCOS yourself. It will require readiness to make some lifestyle changes, though.
Curing PCOS Naturally & Getting Pregnant!
Get some physical activity
Whether you are a working woman or a home-maker, getting enough physical activity should be your topmost priority.
Our hormones can be influenced by exercising and you’ll soon notice that your periods are on time when you maintain a particular workout regime.
What kind of workout to choose?
Working out doesn’t necessarily mean that you should hit the gym. You can wake up before sunrise and allocate some time to stretch and be active at a place of your own choice. You can hit a yoga class or just check some YouTube tutorials to find your perfect workout.
Here is an elaborated list of yoga poses for ovarian cysts to guide you.
There is some research that notes Yoga has a positive impact on PCOS.
For beginners, you might look into certain poses like “The Bow Pose”, “The Boat Pose” or “The Frog Pose” along with Surya Namaskar (or the Sun Salutations).
Also, yoga poses like ‘kapalabhati’ can help you with internal cleansing.
Beat stress
Depression is a commonly detected symptom among women suffering from PCOS. Stress can make the condition even worse.
A study approved by the Research Ethics Committee stated that a mindfulness stress management program conducted on women suffering from PCOS could successfully help in relieving the women from symptoms like stress, depression and anxiety.
No one else knows what makes you happy other than you. We all love doing certain things that pique our interest. So, choose your own stress buster.
Make time to do things that nurture your soul and keep you sane. You can join a dance class or an aerobic session. Paint your favourite picture or write your heart out.
Indulge in gardening or have some fun time with the kids. At the end of the day, ensure that you can have a good night’s sleep with peace on your mind.
Avoid sugars
Excessive sugar consumption is known to increase the risk of chronic disorders like cardiovascular problems, diabetes and obesity.
Although women with PCOS are not necessarily obese, sugar consumption can cause inflammation which shows up in the form of acne.
The recommended intake of sugars is less than an ounce per day. However, even if you don’t add any kitchen sugar into your regular diet, most processed foods being sold in the supermarkets contain loads of artificial sweetening agents. Check out some of these tricky names for sugars hiding in your food.
Always check the nutritional label before adding the product into your shopping cart.
Befriend Proteins
The protein requirement varies from one person to the other and there are various factors to be considered.
An average adult woman requires 0.36 grams of protein per pound of her body weight.
You can get your protein through dairy products, lean meat and poultry, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils, legumes and fish.
A study conducted by the National Institutes Health Criteria proved that replacing the intake of simple sugars with proteins helped in a successful weight loss apart from the reduction in cholesterol levels, body fat and body mass.
Say No to Alcohol
Though the consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts does no harm, studies and research state that women who are planning to conceive, women who have difficulties getting pregnant and those who are already pregnant should refrain from consuming alcohol.
The limit of alcohol consumption is just 1 liquid ounce per day.
Also, alcohol brings in more calories which is again a risk factor associated with obesity. Get to know the impact of alcohol on your brain, body and your mental health.
Consult Your Doctor for Medications
Making the above-mentioned lifestyle changes can work out if you are a determined individual. If you prefer medical intervention, there are drugs and procedures that can help you. In any case, you want to be under a doctor’s supervision, especially if you are trying to get pregnant.
Your doctor might suggest some birth control pills which can regulate your menstrual cycle by reducing the production of androgen and increasing the production of estrogen and progesterone.
However, there is no chance of getting pregnant while you are on the medication. The pills are to be taken for a month or two, to get your periods regulated.
Always consult your doctor before opting for self-medication!
Bottom line
PCOS is a hormonal disorder, the exact cause of which is unknown, although there are certain factors like genetics and lifestyle choices associated with it.
You CAN get pregnant with PCOS by making some necessary changes to your lifestyle. Exercising regularly, minimising the consumption of sugars and alcohol, indulging in stress-free activities, following a protein-rich diet can fix your hormonal imbalance.
Choosing medications can be your last alternative if all the above-mentioned natural lifestyle changes do not work.
