Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFertilityGestationPostpartumFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Fertility
Gestation
Postpartum
Frequently Asked Questions
This article discusses how PCOS can affect fertility and pregnancy.
Verywell / Michela Buttignol
PCOS and Fertility
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes women to have infrequent or prolonged periods and to produce an excess of male hormones (androgens). It can cause irregular periods, weight gain, thinning hair andhair loss on the head, excess hair growth elsewhere on the body, and oily skin or acne.
The imbalance of reproductive hormones that develops with PCOS, along with a number of small fluid-filled cysts, can interfere with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation) at regular monthly intervals.This decrease—or absence—of ovulation is usually the cause of fertility issues.
Your healthcare provider may recommend that you try weight loss and other lifestyle changes before trying any medications to see if pregnancy can occur naturally. Research has shown that lifestyle changes can help restore ovulation and improve pregnancy rates among women with PCOS.
Your healthcare provider may also prescribe one of the following treatments to help you get pregnant:
Is PCOS Hereditary?Since the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it’s difficult to say if it’s hereditary. However, since PCOS tends to run in families, some sort of genetic cause or mutation is suspected to play a role in the development of this condition.
Is PCOS Hereditary?
Since the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it’s difficult to say if it’s hereditary. However, since PCOS tends to run in families, some sort of genetic cause or mutation is suspected to play a role in the development of this condition.
PCOS and Gestation
The same issues that cause problems conceiving can createproblems during pregnancy. These include altered hormone levels, obesity, and problems with blood sugar control.
Risks
Pregnant people with PCOS have higher rates of complications such as:
What to Know About PCOS and Pregnancy
Treatment
Generally, if you have PCOS, you will be monitored closely throughout your pregnancy for complications like gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and the risk of preterm birth. Your healthcare provide may recommend lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet.
Other suggestions your doctor may make to control PCOS throughout your pregnancy include:
Body Mass IndexThe most commonly used measure to correlate weight and height is the body mass index (BMI). It uses weight and height to try and estimate body fat. The resulting number is then used to categorize people as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. BMI is not perfect, however, and does not account for other factors that determine body composition like age, muscle mass, or sex. BMI calculations may, for example, overestimate body fat in athletes or in older people. Additionally, BMI can also stigmatize and shame people who do not meet what is considered an ideal weight or body shape.
Body Mass Index
The most commonly used measure to correlate weight and height is the body mass index (BMI). It uses weight and height to try and estimate body fat. The resulting number is then used to categorize people as underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. BMI is not perfect, however, and does not account for other factors that determine body composition like age, muscle mass, or sex. BMI calculations may, for example, overestimate body fat in athletes or in older people. Additionally, BMI can also stigmatize and shame people who do not meet what is considered an ideal weight or body shape.
Concerning Symptoms
You will be monitored for a number of complications throughout your pregnancy, and your doctor will tell you which symptoms warrant emergency care. If you have PCOS and problems with your blood sugar or blood pressure, you or your family members may want to watch for signs like:
These could be warning signs ofhypoglycemia(decrease in blood sugar) ordangerously high blood pressureand require immediate care.
PCOS and Postpartum
Impact on Recovery
There are long-term developmental risks to babies as well. These include problems with the endocrine system, which regulates brain and nervous system development, and the cardiovascular system, which consists of the heart and blood vessels. Children whose mothers had PCOS may also struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and weight gain in adulthood.
Breastfeeding
There is some debate about how much PCOS affects breastfeeding. It’s generally accepted that hormonal imbalances from PCOS can affect milk production and make breastfeeding more difficult.However, one study suggests that it’s a higher body mass index—not PCOS—that complicates breastfeeding for some mothers.
If you are having difficulty breastfeeding and you have PCOS, you can talk to your healthcare provider about nutritional support or supplements that may help.
Summary
PCOS can interfere with ovulation and make getting pregnant more difficult, but your doctor can recommend the appropriate lifestyle changes. Once you become pregnant, it’s important to work with your doctor to keep your condition under control and minimize complications. This should continue during the postpartum period because people with PCOS are at higher risk of heart and psychiatric complications after delivery.
A Word From Verywell
PCOS is a condition that causes a hormonal imbalance. This can affect your ovaries and ovulation, making it more difficult to become pregnant. However, certain lifestyle changes and medications can help you conceive. A healthy diet and regular exercise can go a long way toward helping you reduce complications of PCOS during and after your pregnancy.
When should you take a pregnancy test with PCOS?
Taking a Pregnancy Test When You Have PCOS: What to Know
How can PCOS affect pregnancy?
When do you stop metformin during pregnancy if you have PCOS?
What precautions should you take during pregnancy with PCOS?
Managing your blood sugar with a healthy diet and exercise and possibly medications is key. You should talk to your doctor about what diet and exercise regimen may be best for you during pregnancy. You should also have your blood pressure checked regularly and take supplements like folic acid as directed.
10 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.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Treatments for infertility resulting from PCOS.National Institutes of Health.What causes PCOS?Palomba S, et al.Pregnancy complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2015;21(5):575-592. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv029Kumar P, Khan K.Effects of metformin use in pregnant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012;5(2):166-169. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.101012Gutin I. In BMI We Trust: Reframing the Body Mass Index as a Measure of Health.Soc Theory Health. 2018;16(3):256-271. doi:10.1057/s41285-017-0055-0Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol.2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048.Bui L.No Difference in Breastfeeding Rates in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.J Endoc Soc.National Library of Medicine.Mesoridazine.Drugs and Lactation Database.
10 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.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Treatments for infertility resulting from PCOS.National Institutes of Health.What causes PCOS?Palomba S, et al.Pregnancy complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2015;21(5):575-592. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv029Kumar P, Khan K.Effects of metformin use in pregnant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012;5(2):166-169. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.101012Gutin I. In BMI We Trust: Reframing the Body Mass Index as a Measure of Health.Soc Theory Health. 2018;16(3):256-271. doi:10.1057/s41285-017-0055-0Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol.2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048.Bui L.No Difference in Breastfeeding Rates in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.J Endoc Soc.National Library of Medicine.Mesoridazine.Drugs and Lactation Database.
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.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Treatments for infertility resulting from PCOS.National Institutes of Health.What causes PCOS?Palomba S, et al.Pregnancy complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2015;21(5):575-592. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv029Kumar P, Khan K.Effects of metformin use in pregnant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012;5(2):166-169. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.101012Gutin I. In BMI We Trust: Reframing the Body Mass Index as a Measure of Health.Soc Theory Health. 2018;16(3):256-271. doi:10.1057/s41285-017-0055-0Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol.2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048.Bui L.No Difference in Breastfeeding Rates in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.J Endoc Soc.National Library of Medicine.Mesoridazine.Drugs and Lactation Database.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Treatments for infertility resulting from PCOS.
National Institutes of Health.What causes PCOS?
Palomba S, et al.Pregnancy complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2015;21(5):575-592. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv029
Kumar P, Khan K.Effects of metformin use in pregnant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012;5(2):166-169. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.101012
Gutin I. In BMI We Trust: Reframing the Body Mass Index as a Measure of Health.Soc Theory Health. 2018;16(3):256-271. doi:10.1057/s41285-017-0055-0
Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048
Alur-Gupta S, Boland MR, Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Dokras A.Postpartum complications increased in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Am J Obstet Gynecol.2021 Mar;224(3):280.e1-280.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.048.
Bui L.No Difference in Breastfeeding Rates in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.J Endoc Soc.
National Library of Medicine.Mesoridazine.Drugs and Lactation Database.
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?
