If you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, also known as PCOS, and have experienced the common symptom of irregular menstruation, your doctor may have suggested using birth control pills to regulate your monthly cycle. Although effective for that purpose, taking birth control will make it understandably difficult to get pregnant. In general, if you are over the age of 35 and have been trying to conceive unsuccessfully for at least six months or are under that age and have been unable to get pregnant for a year or more, it is time to consult with your health care provider. Although PCOS can make it more difficult to conceive, many women that have been diagnosed with it have gone on to become mothers, often after hormone therapy.

#1-An Insulin Sensitizer Can Help You Get Pregnant, Even If You Are Not Diabetic

In recent years, physicians have become more aware of the association between insulin resistance and abnormal hormone levels in women who suffer from PCOS. Therefore, you may be sent home with a low dose of a common medication for diabetics. Research suggests that taking it for as little as three months can help many women to conceive and if unsuccessful, can also be combined with the fertility drug Clomiphene for better results.

#2-Hormone Therapy Is Rarely The First Step

Assuming that your doctor finds no other problem that could be impacting your fertility, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, the first step is often to induce ovulation. An oral medication containing Clomiphene is very affordable and can be taken five days out of the month, early in your cycle. If that does not work on its own after a few months, your doctor can increase the dosage or change the days in which you take it.

Alternatively, you may be prescribed another medication, known as an HCG trigger shot, that will encourage your ovaries to release the eggs. If you still have been unable to get pregnant after six cycles of Clomiphene, advanced hormone therapy may be needed.

#3-The Use Of Hormone Therapy Often Provides The Best Results

There are different types of hormone therapies to help women conceive. It will be helpful to note that although Clomiphene encourages ovulation and therefore is responsible for increasing or decreasing certain hormone levels, it is rarely what most people think of when they hear about hormone therapy. In that instance, you are more likely to think of injectable medications to help you ovulate, since many actually contain hormones.

Common examples include Gonadotropins, which are expensive and are more likely to result in conceiving more than one baby, but have a better success rate. Another choice that encourages your ovaries to produce eggs is a Follicle Stimulating hormone, or FSH. The use of these drugs results in high levels of ovulation and of the women who ovulate using them, about half manage to get pregnant.

In conclusion, PCOS is a common problem for many women and many sufferers experience irregular menstrual cycles as one of the most obvious symptoms. While birth control pills are an effective way to correct that symptom, when you want to have a baby, additional assistance, including hormone therapy, may be necessary. For more information, contact a company like Potter's House Apothecary, Inc.