Many women who have difficulty conceiving would probably agree: Finding out the reason is crucial to ending the frustration.
Learn more about how PCOS can disrupt themenstrual cycleand how to tell if or when you are ovulating.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
PCOS and Ovulation
The menstrual cycle begins when a particular hormone is secreted in the brain. This ultimately causes an egg follicle in the ovary to begin growing.
Two main hormones are involved in this process. The first isfollicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the maturation of an egg. The second is luteinizing hormone (LH), which triggers ovulation, or the release of the egg.
Women who have PCOS have eggs that don’t always mature or get released from the ovary to be fertilized. Instead, they collect on the ovaries as small, immature follicles. These are mistakenly called cysts.
A woman with PCOS tends to produce excess androgens, or male hormones.As a result, a woman’smenstrual cycle and ovulation can be affected.
Her cycles may be irregular or longer than normal. Or they may not occur at all. She may or may not ovulate in a given cycle. These irregular cycles make it difficult to know when ovulation is occurring, if at all.
This will affect a woman’s ability to conceive. And in the United States, this is a common problem. Nearly 19% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 are infertile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. (Infertile is defined as being unable to conceive after a year of trying.)
About 26% of women in the same age group have trouble getting pregnant or carrying a fetus to term.This condition is called “impaired fecundity.”
Signs That You Are Ovulating
Using one or more of these techniques can help you know when to time sex properly if you are trying to conceive. The “fertile window” typically begins five days before ovulation and lasts for about a day after. However since ovulation timing may vary you may want to start trying about a week before you ovulate and continue trying a few days after you think you ovulated.
Get to know your body each month and try these techniques. They can maximize your chance of conceiving.
How Long Will It Take Me to Get Pregnant If I Have PCOS?
If You’re Not Sure
If you don’t get clear signals that you’re ovulating, see a doctor and get an evaluation. You may need help regulating your menstrual cycles or getting pregnant.
Typically, a fertility specialist or a reproductive endocrinologist will do a full hormonal workup, gather a detailed medical history, and possibly do an ultrasound. These steps can help determine if and when you are ovulating.
Summary
Polycystic ovary syndrome causes hormonal changes that can make your menstrual cycle irregular and interfere with ovulation. This can make it hard to know if and when you are ovulating.
There are certain tests you can do yourself to try to predict ovulation, so you can time sex appropriately for the best chances at conception. If you’re still having trouble, a fertility specialist or your obstetrician-gynecologist can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
There isn’t a cure, but there are things you can do to manage your symptoms and increase your chance of conceiving. Your doctor may prescribe medication like letrozole or Clomid (clomiphene) to help you ovulate. Managing your weight through healthy eating and exercise may relieve symptoms and may help regulate hormone levels.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbieri RL, Ehrmann DA.Patient education: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Beyond the Basics)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health.Infertility: Frequently asked questions.Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM.Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods.Bioeng Transl Med. 2017 Sep;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058Planned Parenthood.What’s the temperature method of FAMs?Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Frankfurter D.Getting pregnant with PCOS.A Case-Based Guide to Clinical Endocrinology. 2015:317-326. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2059-4_38Additional ReadingAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Polycystic ovary syndrome.American Pregnancy Association.Understanding ovulation.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbieri RL, Ehrmann DA.Patient education: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Beyond the Basics)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health.Infertility: Frequently asked questions.Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM.Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods.Bioeng Transl Med. 2017 Sep;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058Planned Parenthood.What’s the temperature method of FAMs?Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Frankfurter D.Getting pregnant with PCOS.A Case-Based Guide to Clinical Endocrinology. 2015:317-326. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2059-4_38Additional ReadingAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Polycystic ovary syndrome.American Pregnancy Association.Understanding ovulation.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Barbieri RL, Ehrmann DA.Patient education: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Beyond the Basics)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health.Infertility: Frequently asked questions.Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM.Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods.Bioeng Transl Med. 2017 Sep;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058Planned Parenthood.What’s the temperature method of FAMs?Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Frankfurter D.Getting pregnant with PCOS.A Case-Based Guide to Clinical Endocrinology. 2015:317-326. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2059-4_38
Barbieri RL, Ehrmann DA.Patient education: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Beyond the Basics)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health.Infertility: Frequently asked questions.
Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM.Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods.Bioeng Transl Med. 2017 Sep;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058
Planned Parenthood.What’s the temperature method of FAMs?
Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Frankfurter D.Getting pregnant with PCOS.A Case-Based Guide to Clinical Endocrinology. 2015:317-326. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2059-4_38
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Polycystic ovary syndrome.American Pregnancy Association.Understanding ovulation.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
American Pregnancy Association.Understanding ovulation.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
