PCOD is a condition that causes hormonal abnormalities and metabolic issues. This disorder affects the ovaries but does not always lead to infertility. One can become pregnant. However, PCOD is a rather prevalent cause of infertility. According to research by PubMed Central, PCOD affects 5-13 percent of women of reproductive age, but it can be treated. Here’s how the disorder affects fertility and what one can do about it. One will also find whom they can consult to get an effective PCOD treatment in Mumbai. Let’s start with learning how PCOD impacts fertility.
How does PCOD affect fertility?
People with PCOD suffer from a hormonal imbalance that can cause:
- High amounts of androgens cause the production of tiny, painless, fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries.
- Thickening of the outer shell of the ovaries
- High insulin levels in the blood.
- All of these items can interfere with ovulation. Intermittent or skipped periods are one indication that this is occurring.
Symptoms of PCOD
PCOD symptoms commonly appear in late teens or early adulthood. They could include:
- Getting excessive hair growth like males as they are more likely to experience abundant hair growth on their faces and lose hair on their scalp.
- Symptoms may include oily skin, severe acne, skin tags, and thick, darker patches (acanthosis nigricans) on the neck, groin, or beneath the breasts.
- Weight gain or trouble losing weight
- One may also develop insulin resistance, which causes elevated insulin levels in the blood. Untreated, this can progress to type 2 diabetes.
- Menstrual irregularity or absence may indicate reproductive issues. One may not be ovulating frequently or at all.
Fertility Treatment for Women with PCOD
PCOD-related infertility is treated by fixing any ovulation abnormalities and addressing metabolic concerns such as insulin resistance.
- Hormonal Birth Control Pills can be useful for females who do not want to become pregnant. Medicines are also available that can help one ovulate and conceive. They can also help regulate menstrual cycles and protect against endometriosis in women who have irregular periods due to PCOD. The doctor will most likely recommend some fundamental health precautions first.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight can help manage menstruation and blood glucose levels. A healthy, balanced diet and frequent exercise are essential.
- Monitoring Periods: If one hasn’t already, this is an excellent time to start charting the periods. Numerous calendars and fertility apps available to help one determine when days one is most likely to ovulate.
- Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid): Clomiphene citrate is an ovulatory stimulant that inhibits estrogen feedback to the brain. This oral drug is used once daily for five days at the start of the menstrual cycle. One begins with the lowest possible dosage, which the doctor can raise as necessary.
- Letrozole: Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor. It’s used to treat breast cancer and to stimulate ovulation in persons with PCOD. This medicine inhibits estrogen synthesis and enhances the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates ovulation.
- Metformin: Metformin is prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. It improves the body’s capacity to use insulin properly. This is not a first-line treatment for PCOD, but it can help to promote regular periods and ovulation.
- Metformin is not typically suggested for women with PCOD who are having problems getting pregnant. However, it can induce ovulation. Therefore, women on metformin who do not want to become pregnant should take birth control because they may begin ovulating.
- Gonadotropins: Gonadotropins are injectable hormones that can induce ovulation. This treatment may necessitate frequent medical visits to monitor how the body responds.
- Surgery (Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling): If medicine has not been effective, a kind of surgery known as laparoscopic ovarian drilling may be an option; however, this is uncommon in practice.
- PCOD can thicken the outer shell of the ovaries, preventing ovulation. During this surgery, the surgeon will make many small incisions. A laparoscope will be inserted through one incision to observe the interior organs. Then, a laser or fine needle will be used to create a few holes in the ovary’s surface. This usually recovers ovulation for 6-8 months. It is often performed as an outpatient procedure with general anaesthesia.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): Sometimes lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery do not work. If this happens to one, IVF could be a possibility.
One will begin by receiving fertility shots to stimulate the ovaries. One will probably produce several eggs at once. Once the eggs have been extracted, they will be fertilized with sperm.
Some fertilized eggs can be frozen for future use. Some will be transferred to the uterus for implantation and development.
Consult A Top Gynaecologist in Mumbai for PCOD Treatment
If one is looking for a treatment for PCOD/PCOS or has symptoms such as excessive weight gain, irregular periods, or it’s getting difficult to get pregnant, one must consult a top gynaecologist in Mumbai. One can contact Dr. Chaitali Mahajan Trivedi, Mumbai’s renowned gynaecologist. The expert doctor is committed to assisting women in reversing and treating hormone imbalance symptoms, which are a leading cause of excess weight gain, adult acne, unwanted facial hair, sadness, anxiety, and depressed female infertility.
To take advantage of the benefits, visit Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital and consult with Dr. Chaitali Mahajan Trivedi.