Why Cant I Get Pregnant? / Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Why cant I get pregnant you ask? Well, the most common hormonal disorder affecting fertility is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Usually it first manifests itself shortly after the onset of menarche (periods) in adolescents. Symptoms include menstrual abnormalities, elevated levels of male hormones, and enlarged ovaries. It affects about 1 out of every 15 women, and may well be the reason why you cant get pregnant.
Women with PCOS may have fewer than eight menstrual periods annually. Periods may be extremely long in duration and/or lapse for four or more months.
Because of the presence of unusually high levels of certain hormones, women may develop facial and body hair. They may also have acne. The odds of obesity and type 2 diabetes increases in women with PCOS.
The ovaries may become enlarged and covered with many small cysts. This PCOS symptom can be confirmed by ultrasound.
Women with PCOS may frequently ask the question, why cant I get pregnant?”
as infertility is a common complication of PCOS. Infrequent ovulation and/or the complete absence of ovulation is one of the main symptoms of this condition.
In healthy women, follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinzing hormones (LH) stimulate the ovaries to release mature eggs. The ovaries, in turn, excrete estrogen, progesterone, and small amounts of testosterone to prepare the uterine lining (endometrium) for implantation of a fertilized egg. If fertilization does not occur, hormone levels quickly drop and the endometrial tissue is shed.
Apparently, in PCOS, there is a domino effect. One hormone level increases, then another, until all the hormone levels in the process described above are higher than normal. This disruption of ovulation results in infertility.
A woman with PCOS may become pregnant with the aid of medications that stimulate ovulation. Clomid and Serophene are anti-estrogen oral medications than can be used in combination to induce ovulation.
If a woman is still asking, “why cant I get pregnant?” after taking these medications, her physician may inject follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinzing hormones (LH) to achieve pregnancy.
Should a woman remain infertile after using both types of medications, outpatient surgery is an option. In laproscopic ovarian drilling, a laser is used to burn holes in follicles on the surface of the ovaries in an effort to reduce hormone levels and induce ovulation.
There are treatments and hope for women diagnosed with PCOS who want so badly to become pregnant.
Check Out This Quick Video To Better Help Your Understanding
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