PCOS Awareness Month

Hi All!

In case you didn't know, September is PCOS awareness month! Please pop on over to http://www.pcosfoundation.org to learn more about PCOS or, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

There are many different types of infertility – but PCOS is among the top causes. It's not only relatively common but it also has many faces. The disease, it's symptoms and the prognosis all vary per individual woman.

Some women achieve success with ovulation inducing medications like Clomid or Metformin – while some have to use IVF, and others never achieve pregnancy at all. This makes it challenging to treat because there is no scenario or case study to follow. We're all so different, and our experiences with PCOS are all so different, that it's difficult to come up with a single prognosis.

The other thing about PCOS is that it is not just an infertility disease. It's lifelong. PCOS lasts long after you're no longer trying to have children, and some women experience it well into menopause. It's a condition that can affect your health for the rest of your life if not treated and maintained properly. That's, perhaps, the cruelty of it for women who never succeeded in having children – the constant reminder of their infertility until their childbearing years are well over.

Sometimes it can be really difficult to get a diagnosis – because there's no typical PCOS situation and each doctor seems to have their own idea of what makes a PCOS diagnosis. Some doctors believe insulin resistency is a requirement of PCOS, while others say it's only a disease of the overweight. However, I can assure you that neither of those have to be present for you to have PCOS. Due to this inconsistency in knowledge, it can be difficult to get diagnosed and a get on an effective treatment plan. My advice to you is that if you suspect you have it, but your doctor disagrees - get a second (or third) opinion. Look online for a PCOS specialist in your area and make an appointment. PCOS creates different fertility obstacles and being treated properly, for the right condition, could be the jump start your body needs.

A PCOS diagnosis does not mean the end of your journey, but it certainly changes it. Many women go on and have healthy, normal pregnancies – but for some, the journey to the pregnancy is a little rockier. Other women chose different paths – whether it be adoption, surrogacy, or living child free. The importance of understanding, and spreading awareness, about PCOS is so that more women can ask their doctors the right questions, and ensure they get the best possible care during their fertility journey.

 ** I am not a professional, nor do I have an professional experience with PCOS. My experience is purely personal, and based on research. Please visit the above link for more information, or speak to your doctor.