Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects between eight and ten percent of women of reproductive age. It is a common cause of anovulation and female infertility. This disease is characterized by excess body hair, acne and/or oily skin, hair loss or thinning hair, and a tendency to be overweight. Some PCOS patients will never ovulate and some will ovulate occasionally, because of this women with PCOS will usually have difficulty conceiving and will need medication to induce ovulation.

Treatment options for PCOS patients include clomiphene citrate (Clomid) for ovulation induction and Metformin, an insulin sensitizer.  If this treatment is not successful within three to six cycles, the next step is using FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) injections to induce ovulation. PCOS patients are more likely to have exaggerated responses to fertility drugs that can lead to side effects like ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS) and to cancelled cycles to avoid multiple birth. Because of these side effects, it is very important for woman to have proper cycle monitoring and to follow the advice of their physician.

Weight loss can lead to resumption of ovulation in obese PCOS patients and it may be suggested that these patients attempt to lose weight, however hormone imbalances can make this very difficult and frustrating for patients. NewLife Fertility Centre encourages women with PCOS to see a nutritionist.   At Newlife, we use innovative stimulations protocols to achieve ovulation in PCOS patients who have failed treatment before.