If you have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) then you’ll know how much it can affect your whole life, especially if you have been trying to start a family. The good news is that there have been numerous studies that show that diet and lifestyle changes can greatly improve PCOS even with small changes.
PCOS is actually quite common and can affect up to 10% of women. Many people don’t even realise that they might have it and see the symptoms as something unrelated. Usually it contributes to depression, weight gain, excess facial hair, high blood pressure, irregular periods and as I’ve already mentioned – infertility which can be frustrating if you want to know how to fall pregnant fast.
Losing weight is usually the first thing that doctors recommend for women with PCOS. Reducing just a few pounds can help the way the body processes insulin and can improve both acne and your fertility. However many women have trouble losing weight when they have the condition even when exercising and eating a healthy diet.
Usually the most successful diets for improving PCOS are low carb diets and low GI diets. But you shouldn’t cut carbohydrates out completely. Instead of eating highly processed carbs such as breads, pasta and cereals, instead think brown rice, beans and pulses and fresh fruit and vegetables.
You should also aim to include enough protein to help balance the glucose levels in the blood.
Of course it goes without saying that you should avoid unnecessary sugars in your diet that have no nutritional value and are just empty calories. These include cakes, donuts and sweets. This also includes artificial sweeteners which can also spike insulin levels.
Supplements are also recommended for women with PCOS to make sure they are regularly getting a good balance of the right vitamins and minerals. Omega 3′s are also important as they can reduce inflammation in the body and balance hormone levels.
Some of the better diets for sufferers include the Glycemic Impact Diet, South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers.
Low impact exercise done regularly can go a long way in improving PCOS symptoms. Walking, swimming and yoga are all great forms of exercise that will help to regulate your blood pressure. Yoga is especially beneficial because it also helps reduce stress levels and stress is well known to interfere with hormonal balance.
Of course it’s always best to try a healthy diet with the guidance of your health professionals who may also suggest fertility stimulants such as Clomid if you are trying to conceive.
If you have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) then you’ll know that getting pregnant can prove more challenging than for women without it. It can affect your fertility by a number of ways including over mature eggs (due to extended cycles), miscarriages, hormone imbalances and sometimes blockages.
But don’t dispair because the good news is that most women with PCOS can and will get pregnant and go on to have happy healthy babies. This article will go over some of the treatment methods that you can try to improve your fertility and chances of having a baby.
The main criteria as to whether you’ll be able to get pregnant or not is whether you ovulate. It doesn’t matter if you ovulate irregularly, late or even skip months. As long as your body is releasing an egg it’s possible to conceive.
Your first step is to start living as healthy a lifestyle as possible. I know that you were probably expecting me to recommend a pill of some kind, but getting yourself in shape will help improve your hormone balance significantly and shouldn’t be overlooked as a starting point. That includes a good diet, exercise and stress relief regime.
If you are overweight then losing weight into a health weight range can improve your hormone balance as well. Many women with PCOS are usually over the recommended weight and by losing a few pounds this can sometimes correct your fertility.
Vitex (Angus Castus) is a great herb to help improve your chances of falling pregnant because it works by balancing the oestrogen and progesterone in the body. It does take a while for the herbs to do their magic but many women with PCOS (and other fertility issues) claim great success by taking Vitex.
Charting your cycles for a few months will let you know if you are deficient in either oestrogen (you will ovulate early with short cycles) or progesterone (short luteal phase and/or frequent miscarriages). If the latter is the case (which is more common) then taking a progesterone suppository or cream (available from your doctor) can be enough to conceive and deliver a healthy child.
And of course there are always fertility drugs like Clomid to help you get pregnant. In fact Clomid is said to work within 6 months of taking it for around 70% of women with PCOS. It’s usually the first step in treating fertility problems and works for many women (including me).
Overall don’t give up. Getting pregnant with PCOS is not only possible for most women it’s also likely so if one method doesn’t work for you keep trying until you do. Good luck and baby dust.
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