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IVF and PCOS – what do women need to know?

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PCOS or PolyCystic Ovarian Disorder is the most common condition affecting and interfering with the majority of women populations nowadays. A lot of women who opt for IVF treatments are those who cannot get pregnant traditionally due to factors like age, poor uterine health, low male sperm count and more. Out of these factors PCOS is a common reason. Many women have the same question. “I have PCOS, will I still be able to get pregnant with IVF?”, well read along to see how we and our IVF doctors in Kolkata bridge the gap between PCOS, IVF and a successful pregnancy.

What is IVF and it’s procedure

Simply put, IVF or InVitro Fertilization is where the egg and sperm fertilisation occurs outside the human body. The embryo is also formed outside the body and this embryo will be transferred into the uterus of the female carrier. The points to note here, that define the success of IVF and those that link with female reproductive health are,
  • The ovarian reserve or the number of eggs in the ovaries
  • The quality of the eggs
  • The health of the uterus to take up the fertilised embryo
Let us see what is PCOS and which factors need discussion from an IVF point of view

Step-by-step guide on what happens in PCOS

  • PCOS or PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition caused by hormonal imbalances. The ovulation process takes the main hit in a PCOS condition.
  • The hormones necessary for a regular ovulation or releasing of the egg are not present. Instead the immature, unreleased eggs form into fluid filled sacs in the ovaries, called “ovarian cysts”.
  • This ovarian condition, in turn caused “androgenic” hormones to be released
  • Hence the symptoms like facial hair, weight changes, fatigue, acne and more occur.
The key points here that affect the IVF are
  • The ovarian reserve (number of healthy eggs) is very less,
  • Ovarian condition is also poor
  • Total body condition is not ideal due to hormonal imbalances
Does that mean IVF cannot work in PCOS conditions? No. There are separate IVF protocols for women with PCOS
  • Hormonal therapy - techniques are set in place to increase the production of FSH hormone which inturn stimulates the natural maturation and release of eggs from the ovary
  • Embryo Freeze techniques - It is suggested to freeze the fertilised embryos and transfer them to the uterus as the uterine and ovarian health gets better
  • Donor - in cases where the female egg is difficult to obtain, a healthier egg from a registered egg donor is an option
  • inVitro Maturation - where immature eggs are retrieved and their maturation process is completed under guided conditions in the lab

How to prepare for IVF if you have PCOS

  • Your preparation starts at home. Hormonal medication and PCOS treatment from an endocrinologist would be the first line
  • Diet maintenance is the second part because diet and metabolism can direct affect your hormones
  • Stress management as stress also affects the hormone levels
  • Weight management, staying active and increasing your metabolism
  • Maintaining blood sugar levels. PCOS and insulin resistance are interlinked. You need to both monitor and maintain your blood sugar levels so as to not aggravate the PCOS
Changes in IVF treatment for PCOS patients
  • The time period of the entire IVF procedure might be longer
  • The pre-medication or the IVF stimulation medication might be different than usual IVF
  • Number of embryos retrieved and hatched might also be different so as to ensure pregnancy but also avoid Ovarian Hyper Stimulation and Multiple Pregnancies
  • Followup medication might not be that different but,
  • A followup diet and nutrition maintenance is very important

Well, that being said, if you are someone with PCOS and are worried about pregnancy, worry no more. With our expert IVF doctors in Kolkata, your chances of starting a family just go higher. Irrespective of your conditions. Book a consultation now!

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