PCOS infertility is the most common cause of infertility today. In this article you’ll learn what is PCOS and how you can treat PCOS infertility naturally.
PCOS – What is it?
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome aka Polycystic Ovarian Disease manifests in multiple cysts covering the ovaries, filled with immature follicles (eggs) accompanied by hormonal abnormalities and irregularities in ovulation and menstruation. This is a metabolic condition associated with insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms are failure to ovulate, acne, obesity, menstrual irregularities and hirsutism (hair growth on skin). Severe cases manifest with all of the symptoms while mild and moderate cases only have some.
What causes PCOS Infertility?
Infertility is caused by the inability to ovulate due to excess production of male hormones – androgens (testosterone) and insufficient oestrogen and progesterone production by the ovary. Due to an insufficient amount of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) androgens cannot be converted to oestrogen, and follicles can not mature and ovulate.
How to treat PCOS Infertility Naturally?
Studies have found that the majority of cases of infertility due to ovulatory disorders may be prevented with dietary and lifestyle modifications. Therefore that’s where you should start.
There are several key factors that play a role in PCOS Infertility. Depending on which one is most characteristic for you will determine the first line of treatment.
1. Balancing Insulin
Insulin resistance has been found to contribute to excess production of androgens by the ovaries. Insulin resistance goes hand in hand with obesity or being overweight especially around the middle (visceral fat = fat around the organs). However insulin resistance can also be found among people who are not obese or overweight. If you are overweight and have PCOS infertility it is advisable that that you loose weight and correct insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means that the cells are not reacting to insulin when it knocks with a new batch of glucose. This is usually due to saturation of insulin at the receptor sites of the cells from a diet high in refined and simple carbohydrates. This leads to excess glucose in the blood stream and not enough in the cells. This in turn leads to fatigue and lethargy and increased risk of bacterial infections (due to excess glucose outside the cells) and diabetes.
2. Addressing Testosterone & Promoting Ovulation and Menstruation
Excess androgens (testosterone) stem from too much LH (lutenizing hormone) being produced by the body over FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). This in turn results in immature eggs which never reach the ovulation stage and end up forming small cysts on the ovaries. A type of estrogen can be converted to testosterone in fat tissue which is another reason for making sure you loose weight if you are overweight.
Normalizing your hormones and getting your body to produce sufficient amount of hormones to ovulate and maintain pregnancy is the key and the end result of all the treatment strategies for PCOS infertility.
What to do?
- Avoid coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, sugar and juices containing sugar, refined carbs (white bread, biscuits, chocolate, lollies etc…).
- Eat small protein rich meals every 3 hours to balance your blood sugar.
- Exercise regularly – cardio and weights (the more muscles you have the more fat you’ll burn).
- Add cinnamon to your cooking. It has been found to improve insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS. Porridge is a great way to get some cinnamon into your diet as well as apples baked in the oven sprinkled with some cinnamon and crushed nuts.
- Minimize your intake of dairy and animal products (even if they are organic) altogether. This is due to the high content of hormones, pesticides and herbicides which are known endocrine disruptors (they play havoc with your hormones and this can lead to anovulation). Vegetarian diets and diets rich in fibre have been shown to be very beneficial in conditions where hormonal balance is disturbed such as PCOS. Even though the animal was not given synthetic hormones it produced its own hormones which will still be reflected in the dairy or meat.
- Excess androgen production has been shown to favorably react to intake of licorice so include some fresh licorice from an organic store.
- Eat more: adzuki beans, basil, cayenne, chestnut, chives, eggplant, garlic, ginger, kohlrabi, leek, nutmeg, pepper, rice, rosemary, spearmint and turmeric.
- Reduce stress with yoga, mediation, breathing exercises, 8 hours of sleep, regular exercise, lavender, lemon balm and chamomile tea.
- See a naturopath or a herbalist as many herbal treatments have been shown to address PCOS successfully.
- Take a good quality multivitamin and fish oil (make sure it’s been tested for mercury and stabilized with vitamin E).
Do you have PCOS Infertility? I’d love to learn more about you and help you get pregnant naturally, share your thoughts with me.
© 2009 Iva Keene and Natural Fertility Prescription
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Hi, I have a question, what if i dont want to get pregnant, just want to get my periods naturally? Also, I live in Mississippi and there are no naturopaths or herbalists near me. I really want to get my periods naturally, I dont want to be stuck on birth control pills all my life. Could you please email me back. Thank you.
Hi Aisha,
Thanks for your message. I’d be happy to coach you back to your optimal hormonal balance. So even if you don’t want to get pregnant now, you can get your body into the right balance for conception at a later date! I’ll send you an email with further details. Warm regards, Iva.
hi, so hears my deal. im 24 and married with a 3 yr old son. i had the merina put in a couple months after my son was born in 07. but i ended up having every bad side effect you could imagine so not even 2 years into it i had it removed. well every sence then my periods have been messed up. ill go a couple months with out one, then ill finally have it and its real heavy so on and so forth. then it started to get worse and worse. finally this past year 1/2 it was where i didnt have one for 4-5 months and then i was on it for like 6 weeks and bad during that six weeks. it stoped then again i went another 3 months or so without one. when it came i was on it for little over a month fianlly went to a doctor (this past Feb) she came me a med. to take for 10 days to stop it and then it never came back. so now almost may i still have not had one again. the last day of my last cycle was the feburary 8th. she said my hormones were perfect and i had no other sign of POS besides being overweight, but she still wanted to say i had “probable POS” she told me lose weight and start taking birth control. well i dont take birth control cause my family is very natural and its just a beliefe i have. and what she dont understand is ive always been overweight since i was a kid. it has never been easy for me to lose it. my last doctor had me on a strick 1200 cal. diet that i stuck to very well i was in the gym but still didnt lose weight, he wanted me to take diet pills cause he couldnt understand why i wouldnt lose it. but i wouldnt do that either. i guess what im tryin to find out is if there is anything else i could have besides POS since my hormones are fine and i dont have any other symptoms.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your comment. A simple hormone test is not enough to diagnose PCOS. An ultrasound is also needed to check if you have cysts on your ovaries (‘string of pearls’, the tell-tell sign of PCOS). Having said that some women have ovarian cysts without the PCOS syndrome and some women have the hormonal imbalance without the cysts. Still it’s good to check. Here are the tests your doctor should run to check if you have PCOS:
- Fasting blood sugar
- Testosterone
- DHEA
- Insulin
- Estrogen and progesterone levels
- FSH and LH levels
Insulin resistance and difficulty to lose weight go hand in hand and this may be the reason why you haven’t been able to shift your weight even with exercise. Try avoiding any type of sugar (including fruit, bread, rice, pasta and starchy vegetables) for 2 weeks. This will increase your insulin sensitivity (however don’t do this before you have the tests done as it could influence the test results). Cinnamon, gymnema and chromium can also help regulate insulin resistance.
If you have been overweight your whole life it is possible that you have a thyroid condition. Have your thyroid hormone levels checked. Some women develop hypothyroidism after pregnancy, leading to lack of ovulation, irregular periods, heavy periods, weight gain, depression and infertility. Hypothyroidism and PCOS often go hand in hand.
You can find out more about natural treatments for PCOS and hypothyroidism here: http://ht.ly/1XPAl
I hope this helps, let me know if you’ve got any other questions. Feel free to email me at iva@natural-fertility-prescription.com
Warmest regards,
Iva
Hi I have known for a few years now that I have PCOS but due to the fact that I have no health insurance I have not been able to address it. I am 28 years old and really would like to begin working on getting pregnant. But there is just so much information out there that I dont know where to begin. I work nights and go to school in the day time monday through friday. I really need help figuring out a plan on action. PLEASE help.
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for your message. PCOS responds very well to dietary and lifestyle adjustments. It’s also important to chart your cycles to see when you are ovulating. You may be ovulating later than the usual 14-16 day of the cycle. In addition to the information in this article you can find the action plan you are after in the NFP program. It’s a 120 day plan to be precise and covers all of the areas that need addressing. In addition you also get a complimentary fertility analysis and a prescription for practitioner grade supplements which are of superior quality than the OTC variety. For more info go here: http://ht.ly/1VfEB
I look forward to helping you further.
Warm regards,
Iva
Hi there, please help my wife is having anovulation. We have been together for the last 12 years but only married four years ago. We have spent alot of money both medically and financially all to no avail. We are yet to have any children. We live in Lagos state, Nigeria. Any help from you will be highly appreciated. Hope to hear from you soonest. Thanking you in anticipation.
Regards
Hi Bolaji,
Thanks for your messages. I’ll reply to both here. There are many factors which could be contributing to your low sperm count and your wife’s anovulation. PCOS could be one of them. Nutritional deficiencies, diet, lifestyle, exposure to toxins and EM radiation could also contribute to your situation. You’ll find lots of useful information in the articles on this site. However for a detailed 120 day program and additional tests you’ll need to refer to the NFP program. It has all the information you need to increase your sperm count and address your wife’s anovulation. You can find out more about it here: http://ht.ly/1VfEB
I look forward to helping you and please don´t hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions you´d like to ask me.
Warm regards,
Iva
hi,
i am suffereing from both pcos and hypothyroid from childhood. I am married and got one abortion. my weight is 143lbs and height 5.3 inches. I want to get pregnant naturally. please advice me for the same. you can feel free to ask me any questions of my help.. please help me via email.
Hi Divya,
Thanks for your comment. As requested I replied to you via email.
Warm regards,
Iva
Hi Ive Been Married for a year, sadly i havent had a period in 3 years maybe more me and my husband want to start a family i want to do things naturally i already started a diet, trying to get my body in shape but i know with out a period or ovulation my chances to conceive are not good at all i really need help if some one know what natural tratment i can buy or what i can do to start ovulating.
is there any other things such as special massages i can get to help me ill do anything please help thank you answer me if you would like my e-mail
Thank you,
Hi Anita,
Thanks for your message. A healthy diet and regular exercise are the foundation of optimal health and fertility. So that’s a good start. I don’t know how old you are and if you are menopausal, however if you are in your 20s or 30s and you haven’t had a period in three years or longer, I suggest that you have your hormone levels tested asap. Lack of ovulation and menstruation can predispose you to osteoporosis and uterine cancer (as the endometrium is not shedding on a regular basis). Therefore it’s important to address the cause asap. You could have PCOS or POF (premature ovarian failure) and it’s important to find out what the cause is. I would love to help you further and would like to know more about you and your case. Feel free to email me (iva@natural-fertility-prescription.com) if you’d like to share more information or if you’d like to request a fertility analysis. You can find out more about my natural fertility treatment and the NFP method here: http://ht.ly/1XOpa
PCOS and POF can be treated naturally and it is advisable that you use the natural approach first.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest regards,
Iva
hi im adriana im 20 years old i have pcos and diabetes with hypoyhroid ive been trying to concieve for like 3 years already i tried clomid with metformin for 5 cycles and didnt ovulate im scared i might never have kids is there a way i can concieve natrually medicanes are expensive and wanted to have a baby on my own could there be a way thanx
Hi Adriana,
Thanks for your comment. The good news is you are still very young so you have time on your side. The not-so-good news is drugs alone will not be able to help you without making specific dietary and lifestyle changes. The great news is, this metabolic trio responds best to natural treatments and although there is no ‘cure’ for pcos, the symptoms can be managed and pregnancy can be achieved. I would like to help you make those adjustments and if you’d like I can prescribe specific supplements to help address pcos, hypothyroidism and diabetes. Just email me at iva@natural-fertility-prescription.com
Warm regards,
Iva x
Hello Iva,
I am 23 years old and have been suffering with key PCOS symptoms for the past 2 years. It initially started with irregular periods and thereafter weight gain, particularly in the mid-section. About 4 years ago, my doctor at the time treated me for insulin resistance however I was able to regulate my sugar levels by cutting down on sodas and refined sugar intake.
Most recently though (past year) I’ve gained about 12-15 pounds and have been having extreme difficulty losing any weight despite my efforts (regular cardio/muscle toning exercise, high fiber/protein diet). I went to a gyn and had a thyroid exam done which came back inconsistent with any thyroid issues. Additionally, I had a blood work done to check my a1c3 level and to test for PCOS. The only result was that my symptoms were consistent with that of anovulation. The doctor has since placed me on birth control however, in doing my research, I’ve been having a difficult time understanding just how birth control pills will help to remedy anovulation.
It’s been 3 weeks being on the pill and I yet to lose any significant weight in my midsection. My legs and arms appear to be getting more toned from the consistent exercise but my mid area will not decrease. Please help me! I would greatly appreciate if you can respond to me via email.
Thank you so much!
Hello Roslenn,
Thanks for your comment.
The pill provides your body with synthetic hormones which allow you to menstruate each month. One of the risks with PCOS is that lack of menstruation (if you stop menstruating) can predispose you to uterine malignancies if the endometrial lining is not shed every month. So doctors routinely prescribe the pill as a way to prevent this issue. However the pill suppresses ovulation and can not in itself remedy PCOS. So you are absolutely right about not finding it logical how the pill can help anovulation!
To treat PCOS you need to go much further than just eliminating soda and sugar. You should avoid dairy, refined bread and pasta, saturated fat, trans fat in fast food, processed foods, high GI fruit and vegetables. Pretty much anything that can spike your sugar levels and interfere with your hormone balance. Saturated fat found in meat and animal products can predispose you to insulin resistance. Therefore you should favor healthy and balanced vegan diet, with lots of organic low GI fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes and small amount of whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and amaranth.
Keep up with the exercise as it makes you cells more insulin sensitive and the endorphins help you relax which in turn helps your body to regulate your hormones.
PCOS and subclinical hypothyroidism often go hand in hand. One of the markers of subclinical hypothyroidism is TSH reading above 2 and below 5. Have a look at your test results to check your levels.
Also avoid pesticides, plastic and toxic chemicals in household cleaning products, personal hygiene products and cosmetics as much as possible. They act as xenoestrogens and can further exacerbate PCOS. You can find safe alternatives here.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info. For detailed PCOS treatment protocol please refer to the NFP program here.
Warm regards,
Iva
P.S. The email is on it’s way to you!
Hi,
my name is Melissa and I am 30 years old. I have PCOS and my husband and I have been trying for years to get pregnant. I see an infertility specialist and have tried ovulation induction 2 times in which both were unsuccessful. I am going to be starting IVF in about a month. I know that IVF is extremely expensive and my insurance does not cover it. This is our only chance of doing this. Is there anything I can do to help my chances of this working? I am on hormone pills now to help balance myself. With PCOS, I am overweight and I need help trying to loose this. Please help!
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for your message.
PCOS is a condition caused primarily by lifestyle, diet and poor thyroid function.
It also has an autoimmune aspect. As such modern medicine treatments for PCOS are in many cases inadequate. Pill and IVF are their only answers.
Basically what I propose to you is to address your insulin resistance (goes hand in hand with obesity), as insulin resistance can stop you from ovulating. With PCOS the eggs (if you do ovulate) are of poorer quality, resulting in less progesterone being produced and predisposing you to miscarriages. IVF can not address any of these issues.
Although PCOS has no cure, it can be successfully managed to the point where you can conceive naturally and have a healthy baby.
My suggestion is to optimize your weight, insulin resistance, ovulation and egg health with the NFP program for 120 days and then to conceive naturally.
You should reserve IVF as your last option and not the first.
All the info you need is in the program and you can get it here.
With the program you will also receive a complimentary fertility analysis from me and a script for practitioner grade supplements. Once I’m familiar with your case I will be able to give you specific recommendations for overcoming PCOS symptoms.
The NFP program is only $97.00. Much cheaper and more affordable than IVF. Using the NFP will also nearly double your success rate of IVF if you choose to use it in the end.
I hope this helps.
I look forward to helping you get pregnant naturally.
Warm regards,
Iva
Hi Iva my name is martha im 31 years old i have pcos for 4 years ago . i just got married and tyring to get pregnet . my doc prescript me with metformin er 500mg a day ,. i dont what to take med . i what all natura advice ok so im over weight in the middle , acne, facial hair,thin hair, pain in the stomoch i think is becuas fat all over my organs. we ready what a baby . please help thank you . and my periods are off for 2years dont know what to do
Hi Martha,
Thanks for your comment.
You should aim to loose excess weight and address insulin resistance asap. For more info see this this article: http://www.natural-fertility-prescription.com/pregnant-pcos/
And if you’d like me to prescribe herbs and do a proper fertility analysis just send me an email at iva@natural-fertility-prescription.com
Warm regards,
Iva
Hi Iva, I agree with Aisha, I’m only 21 and don’t want to get pregnant now. Not that I don’t want children in the future. However, I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16 and just recently stopped taking birth control. Over the past 2 and a half I have lost about 60 lbs and it didn’t seem to help. I feel really great but I still don’t get my period. I really don’t want to go back on birth control but I don’t think that it is healthy to go so long with out a period. Could you please email me back…I’m a bit desperate. Thanks
Hi Loren,
Thanks for your comment.
Not everyone with PCOS is overweight. I’ve had patients who were very slim but still had insulin resistance and excess androgens. It’s important to shed the endometrial lining each month as to prevent further complications such as cancer and osteoporosis. This is why doctors prescribe the pill as it provides the body with estrogen and enables you to menstruate. I suggest that you look at this article: http://www.natural-fertility-prescription.com/pregnant-pcos/ for more info on how to address insulin resistance. Dairy products have been linked to acne due to their androgen-like effect and scientists are suggesting that dairy could be implicated in PCOS. So changing your diet and minimizing animal and dairy products is a good first step.
To see how I treat PCOS please refer to the NFP program here: http://www.natural-fertility-prescription.com/nfp-program/
If you’d like an online consultation with me simply email me at Iva@natural-fertility-prescription.com
Hope this helps.
Warm regards,
Iva