12 Effective Tips for Getting Pregnant With PCOS

PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is an extremely common medical condition in which the high progesterone level prevents a woman from getting pregnant. This is caused by the formation of cysts in the ovary due to hormonal imbalances. This makes conceiving difficult for women. However, with few lifestyle changes, a positive attitude and a little effort on their part, it is possible for women with PCOS to get pregnant. In this article, we shall talk about some ways you can use to get pregnant with PCOS.

Infographics: 8 Tips for Getting Pregnant with PCOS

How to Get Pregnant With PCOS?

Listed below are tips that could help a woman with PCOS conceive.

1. Make Lifestyle Changes

To decrease the resistance to insulin in your body, it is important to eat healthily, sleep well (7-8 hours every day) and exercise regularly. Alcohol, substance abuse and smoking should be best avoided. Intake of vitamin supplements (after consulting your doctor) can also help in getting your hormones and insulin levels in balance and may aid conception.

2. Stop Stressing

It is but natural for people to experience stress due to various problems in their lives. However, doing so may only aggravate hormonal imbalance. Therefore, try and cut the stress in your life. Go for long walks, practise yoga and pranayama every day, meditate, have a positive attitude towards life, and most importantly, be happy.

3. Be Active

A sedentary lifestyle could make you gain weight. Therefore being active is very important to fight insulin resistance. Playing a sport, going for a swim or a walk, doing household chores instead of asking somebody else to do it for you can help you get physically active and improve your chances of conception. Several yoga poses are good exercises for PCOS to get pregnant.

4. Consult a Doctor

A doctor is the best person to treat PCOS and increase your chances of conception. He/she could prescribe medication to help in curing the hormonal imbalance that suppresses ovulation.

5. Chromium and Magnesium Level

Low levels of Chromium and Magnesium in the body may result in infertility. Therefore, eating foods rich in these two essential minerals or taking food supplements can help you conceive.

6. Avoid Insulin Resistant Food

Food which causes insulin resistance increases body weight, and blood sugar levels like soft drinks, white bread, rice, potato, refined carbohydrates, etc. These are best avoided if you are suffering from PCOS and want to conceive.

7. Diet Rich in Non-Starchy Vegetables, Fruits and Proteins

PCOS treatment consists of medication, acupuncture, and surgery, but how to cure PCOS naturally and get pregnant? Simple. Eat nutritious meals rich in green leafy and non-starchy vegetables, fruits and nuts. They help in decreasing insulin resistance in your body, and in turn, manage the hormonal imbalance giving way to conception.

8. Curing Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D should be at an optimal range to aid conception. Vitamin D has been found to be directly involved in follicle egg maturation and development. Therefore, women who want to conceive should increase the Vitamin D level in their body by taking food rich in Vitamin D or taking a Vitamin D supplement and of course being out in the early morning sun for half an hour every day.

9. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

IVF is a great way to conceive if you have PCOS. However, it is an expensive treatment and time-consuming process. Due to these reasons, everyone cannot avail it, but many women with PCOS have had great success in getting pregnant and giving birth to healthy babies after opting for IVF.

10. Electro-Acupuncture

Electro-acupuncture is said to be one of the best alternatives in treating PCOS apart from medications. A research conducted by the University of Gothenburg reveals that electro-acupuncture does help in reducing some symptoms of PCOS. Acupuncture needles are inserted at points, such as the back of the knees and the abdominal muscles, which are associated with the ovaries. Then, these points are stimulated with a low-frequency electrical charge. This leads to more regular menstrual cycles and reduced testosterone levels.

11. Include Omega 3 in Your Diet

Omega 3 in your diet helps in treating many medical issues, including leptin resistance and insulin resistance, which are the major causes of PCOS in women. It is also a good treatment to reduce the cortisol levels in women with PCOS.

12. Treating Inflammation

One of the major causes of PCOS is inflammation which has not been treated for a long time. Inflammation of the adrenal glands and ovaries cause an increase in the testosterone level, which stops the normal menstrual cycle and ovulation, whereas brain inflammation causes leptin resistance, and muscle-cell resistance causes insulin resistance. Therefore, in order to cure PCOS, treatment of inflammation is a must. To reduce inflammation, women must avoid all types of inflammation-causing foods in their diet, such as all types of grains, all forms of sugar, industrial seed oils like canola, soy, sunflower and vegetable, processed soy and dairy products.

PCOS makes it difficult for a woman to conceive, but it is not impossible. All you need is the correct treatment, the right approach and most importantly, patience. We strongly advise you to take medical guidance to treat PCOS and make healthy lifestyle choices if you wish to conceive.

Also Read: Irregular Periods and Getting Pregnant