Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine system disorders, affecting one in 10 women of reproductive age and as many as five million women in the U.S.
In a normal monthly cycle, immature eggs known as follicles develop, and one egg is released into the fallopian tube during ovulation. In women with PCOS, the hormones needed for an egg to fully mature are not present, preventing ovulation from occurring and causing ovarian cysts to form. Not all women with PCOS have difficulty becoming pregnant but for those that do, irregular ovulation is the common cause.
Making diet, lifestyle and activity changes can sometimes cause ovulation to regulate on its own and will greatly improve chances of conception both on your own and during treatment. Here are my top 10 tips that I share with my patients to help lessen PCOS symptoms, regulate monthly cycles, and improve overall fertility:
Track Your Cycles
The only way to know if you have regular or irregular cycles is to track them. A normal menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, plus or minus seven days. If your cycle falls out of this range, you do not have a period, or you have periods too frequently or for eight days or more, you have irregular cycles.
Dr. Laurence Jacobs
Dr. Laurence Jacobs is the Director of the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Center for Excellence at the Fertility Centers of Illinois. Dr. Jacobs is a Mayo Clinic-trained Reproductive Endocrinologist and board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI). He has been practicing medicine since 1975.
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