Starting a family when you have PCOS can be such a difficult and really challenging time. I was diagnosed with PCOS when we decided to start a family. And I remember the sense of depression and hopelessness so well – the feeling of being totally out of control.
And I know that my experience is not uncommon. There are literally thousands of women with PCOS who would like to start a family but PCOS can make it so difficult.
Now, I know that it is not an easy road, but I also know that it is possible. As a women living with PCOS, I now have 2 beautiful children. So, it is possible to conceive with PCOS.
[dt_quote type=”pullquote” layout=”left” font_size=”big” animation=”none” size=”2″]There are some things that you can do to help you on your journey to becoming a mom[/dt_quote]But, there are some things that you can do to help you on your journey to becoming a mom. Many of these things you should start BEFORE trying to conceive with PCOS.
Let’s have a look at some of them:
Change the way that you eat
I think this one appears in just about every blog post I write but diet is so crucial in managing your PCOS and boosting your fertility. In fact, it is the most effective way of boosting fertility in women with PCOS. This has to be your starting point.
Now here is the thing, changing your diet will not only help with your PCOS and fertility, it will also provide amazing nutrition for your baby when you do get pregnant.
Now, it takes at least 3 months for an egg to mature and be released from your ovaries. So, changing the way that you eat before trying to conceive will be really helpful when you do start trying as your eggs and hormones would have had time to mature and release.
I know that you probably have some questions about what a PCOS and Fertility diet might look like. So, I’ve put together an ebook that goes into it in a lot of detail. You can download “PCOS and Fertility: How Diet can Help” by clicking on the button below.
Go off the pill
Okay, so this is an obvious one but if you want to start trying for a family, it would make sense to stop taking the birth control pill. However, you need to bear in mind that the pill takes a while to completely leave your system and for your body to resume a natural cycle.
Without PCOS, it can take up to 3 months. With PCOS, your cycle may take even longer to return.
Also, remember that if you are changing the way that you eat to balance your hormones, that will also help your body to have a natural period after going off the pill.
Track your ovulation
Now, if you’re still taking the birth control pill, you’re not ovulating anyway. But, once you have stopped taking the pill, it would be helpful to start tracking your ovulation.
You see, it is possible to have a period but not ovulate. This makes your period an unreliable sign of ovulation. I also found it so helpful to track my ovulation as it helped put me at ease when my period would be delayed by weeks at a time. I know that I was not necessarily pregnant – it was just my PCOS.
You can read more about tracking ovulation here.
Take supplements
There is some very clear research on the benefits of certain supplements when it comes to PCOS in general, but more specifically when it comes to improving fertility.
There are 2 in particular that come to mind – Ovasitol and Vitamin D
Ovasitol or Inositol
There is an amazing amount of very positive research on how Inositol can impact on fertility and pregnancy in women with PCOS. You can read some of it here.
Here are some of the benefits, to name a few:
- restores normal ovulatory activity
- increases fertilization rate
- prevents spina bifida birth defect
- increases peak progesterone (129% increase in one study)
So, with research like this, Inositol is my number 1 PCOS supplement.
So, where can you get it?
Well, my favourite Inositol supplement is Ovasitol from Theralogix. Ovasitol is a combination of D-chiro and Myo Inositols at a 40:1 ratio, which is the optimum ratio found in the body.
You can get Ovasitol here if you’re in the US.
If you can’t get hold of Ovasitol, you can also take plain Inositol, which is readily available from Amazon (see here).
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is such an important vitamin yet 80% of women with PCOS are deficient in this all-important vitamin. The thing is, a Vitamin D deficiency can really impact on your fertility (1).
So, if you’re not already taking a Vitamin D supplement, I highly recommend that you do. I prefer to take a high strength Vitamin D drop, like this one.
Okay, so those are the 4 things that I would recommend you do BEFORE you start trying to conceive. It will help to boost your fertility and hopefully make the journey to motherhood a little smoother.
Don’t forget to get a copy of your free book “PCOS and Fertility: How Diet Can Help” by clicking on the button below!
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30 Responses
Me and my wife are trying to have baby number 2 and she’s afraid she won’t be able to have another one because of her PCOS what things could we try or do to try for baby number 2
I used fertilemd along with inositol powder and got pregnant the first month of using both times!! As someone who has PCOS and struggled with infertility, this was a dream come true!
Thanks for your article. I found out I had PCOS after trying to get pregnant for 3 yrs! I had started to gain weight slowly over the course of a year “25lbs”. i started metformin in August and by September dropped 10lbs and by December a total of 28lbs. I’m 5’2 and that brought me back to about 128, a healthy weight! I found out in FebuaryI was pregnant! I believe it was metformin! I do not have insurance, so I just search in Google for the keyword “MET247GET” to find the reliable sources. Best Regards.
This really help me. I’m starting to lose hope. I already took medicine for ovulation, loss weight but still its negative. I just feel sad when I see my friends getting pregnant without doing anything. I was diagnosed with PCOS 3 years ago.
Hey, glad to see I’m not on my own, was diagnosed with pros at age 14. Had extremely heavy periods until age 17 and then they completely stopped. We have been TTC for 10 years now with no luck. I’m 31 this year and worried I’ll never hVe children. Been given notheristerone to induce a period but from my research that is mostly taken to delay a period. And seeing as I haven’t had a period for at least 13 years now I’m worried. We are seeing a specialist but it’s all just a worry. I don’t bleed so I can’t “take the pregnancy test when I’ve a missed period” honestly they cost me a small fortune. And disappointment every time. I’ve lost so much weight. I’ve done all the right things I eat right and it still won’t happen for us. 🙁 it’s really depressing me now
Hi Christine, don’t worry, everything will be fine, Just have faith and continue with the medications. It is possible to have kids with pcos. Everything will be fine ok?
hello Christine, how are you my dear? You experiencing exactly what i’m experiencing. Any luck?
Hi you just gave me hope actually after reading your blog. I was diagnosed with PCOS this year last July and my OB already gave me Provera to address my late period so after taking it for 5 days Ive got my period after 2 weeks. And then my doctor is now treating me with Metformin and Clomid and Folic its my 3rd month its takes 4 months to be treated. I only have 1 month to go. before I need to rest my body for the treatment and restart the treatment after 6 months of rest.
I forgot to mention I have PCOS and Retroverted Uterus.
hi.. i am regina from phillipines and i am 24 years old… i have a pcos and taking pill, my partner and i wants to have a baby, what should i do to have a baby?
My period stopped flowing for months and I dialognised the result showedthat I have pcos . My doctor gave me primolut N which I took after six days I completed the medication my period flow for five day…. The next month it did not flow and it is three months now… Pls I need help
Hi Good day, PLS your assistance is highly needed here! My wife has PCOM.
Can she be pregnant? Can it be treated, managed or controlled? Please kindly help us out…
Thank you!
Hi I’m Stacy, I was told that I have pcos this past year I’ve been trying tio get pregnant since I was 19 years old I’m now 41 years old also I believe that I’m about to be going threw menopause I want a baby so bad it’s adj u ever wanted I’m the only one in my hole family without kids
I now am without health insurance and don’t know what to do .Please hello me with this b4 it’s to late 4me
Hi im also trying to get a baby stacy. I believe its posible.I tried frertmide ,dod.not.work. but my friend conceived
I just bought Clomid im.scared ofvtwking them.but today is day 3 of my period I will try with hope
I have irregular periods like i ven i take shower from periods i again notice spotting on day 11 12 13 14 ..one of my doc said its pcos n da other doc said its ovulation bleeding wot it actually is plz help i wana concieve too its been four years
hi ,
I’m 25 and has PCOS since 17 years of age.
I’ve been diagnosed with Ginette 35 n i got sick it been nearly 2 years that ivd not taken it and since I’ve not gotten my periods. I’ve undergone a laparoscopy in 2015 but that was that.
I’m only seeing my doctor the 4 October 2018 for a full checkup and this time ill be telling him that I’m married and would love to conceive.
I’m struggling to eat right because i get various cravings. I’ve stopped exercising and picked up 20kgs. I’m truly disappointed in myself but wish me luck that i actually take this seriously soon before it’s to late.
I am also 25 and now I am 4 months pregnant. My Dr suggested me to take ino-ova tablet for 3 month and folic acid tablet until I’m getting pregnant. After 3 month my doctor prescribed me first dose for ovulation induction (fertab50mg). But fertab not worked for me. Doctor said no need to take medicine for the next month bcoz fertab effect will remain for this month also. Then I waited for 1 month and doctor prescribed me to take letara(letrozole 2.5mg) tablets for 5 days from the 3rd day of period. After 1 month I made home pregnancy test and I was pregnant.
How can I be sure that I have pcos. I haven’t been to the doctors yet aso I’m nervous. I have regular periods but 3 months ago it came 2 weeks late and now it’s also 2 weeks late. This it the first time this has happened to me. I’ve had my period for 5 years
I have PCOS and been trying for years to get pregnant. I started taking Fertilemd supplement jan2018. My periods became regular and I noticed I was starting to ovulate. Happy to say we are 2 months pregnant for the first time ever!!
Pls what did u take because I need it most
Hi please please help me.
I have pcos and am finding it difficult to get pregnant as you can imagine.
I was told that there are tablets that I can get from my GP to help boost my chances of getting pregnant. Do you know what they are called?? I want a child so desperately I’m so scared that ill grow old and never have a child or children. What do you recommend that I take to help me right now I’m not taking anything ad I don’t no what to take. Please help me tarryn. .thank you so very much
Sandie, you can ask your doctor for Clomid but it is really important that you are healthy and that your body is in a good place to conceive.
Hello .. I am suffering from PCOS but I don’t get periods. I only got periods in every 3 months if I take medicine .. can I get pregnant??
It is definitely possible. Just may take longer
Hey Tarryn,
I was diagnosed with PCOS earlier this yr I also have RH negative factor so I have to take a shot when ever I become pregnant , I started taking progesterone to regulated my cycle I’ve recently asked my doctor to prescribed me clomid she didn’t but
did give me a prescription for femara which I can’t start until after my cycle. Is there anything else I can do to conceive besides what i’m In the process of doing already?
Can I really get pregnant with pcos people because I have tried 4 years now
Hi, I have been prescribed Metformin, can I also take Inositol as the same time? Also I do not need to lose weight but I am trying to get rid of inflammatory foods in my diet, do I need to stop eating grains too such as Buckwheat and quinoa?
Hello,
I ordered inositol the other day in the powder form. Is it better to get ovasitol instead?
Also, do you know if it is ok to vitex and inositol together?
Thank you for your help.
Best Regards,
Mehzabein
Thank you so much once again! 🙂
My fertility specialist recently recommended my husband and I get Intrauterine Insemination because we found out his sperm is not good. Is it still important for me to take fertility supplements like folic acid, iron, prenatals and the ones you suggested here? Or should the procedure to well at getting me pregnant on its own?
I’ve switched up my diet and I’m always looking for ways to improve that so I’m good there. I could use more motivation at the gym but really wondering how the supplements work when you basically know you and your husband can’t naturally conceive.
Hi Kelsey,
I would absolutely recommend you take the supplements suggested, especially if you have PCOS. These supplements will help to boost your own fertility and ensure a successful pregnancy.