How Long Will It Take to Get Pregnant If I Have PCOS?

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and you want to get pregnant, you may be wondering how long it takes to conceive. It’s a difficult question because there are many variables and few guarantees.

Many factors can affect your odds of getting pregnant, including the age and general health of not only you but your partner as well. When you have PCOS, how well you manage your condition also plays a huge role.

This article provides an overview of what happens if you have PCO and want to get pregnant. It also provides tips on ways to increase conception rates and how to know when to ovulate.

How long does it take to get pregnant?

If you’re under 35, ovulating regularly, and you and your partner have no other medical conditions that affect your fertility, chances are you’ll get pregnant within a year and possibly sooner. This is true whether you have a PCO or not.

If you or your partner have other medical conditions that affect your fertility, such as low sperm count or Endometrial optimismmay take more than a year.

For most women, natural fertility begins to decline around age 32 and will decline even more dramatically by age 37. While some women conceive naturally well into their 40s, the need for assisted reproduction is more likely.

The problem with PCOS, of course, is that the hormonal imbalances caused by the disorder can interfere with the development and release of an egg from the ovaries. If you don’t ovulate, you can’t get pregnant. In such cases, you need to talk to your doctor about ways to improve ovulation and your chances of conceiving.

Most experts recommend seeking treatment if you haven’t gotten pregnant after a year of trying if you’re under 35. If you’re over 35, that number drops to six months.

If you don’t have regular periods or have other fertility problems, like endometriosis, seek immediate help from a reproductive endocrinologist.

Factors that may promote fertility

If you have PCOs and want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, adopting a healthy lifestyle is key. This includes:

• Reach a healthy weight
• Quit smoking
• Cut down on alcohol
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep

Studies have consistently shown that people with PCOS who live a healthy lifestyle tend to have regular periods and, as a result, higher conception rates. Even modest weight loss helps.

For those who ovulate normally, having sex during the “fertile window” (five days before and including ovulation) also increases the chances of conception.

How to detect ovulation

If you’re trying to conceive and have regular periods, there are a few things you can do to get pregnant faster. The most important thing is to make sure that you are timing intercourse correctly. Finally, if the sperm doesn’t meet the egg at the right time in your cycle, pregnancy won’t happen.

There are several strategies you can use to identify and track your fertility chances.

Standard body temperature

One of the best ways to determine your fertile window is to take your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. This is called your basal body temperature (BBT).

After a few months of charting, you’ll notice small changes in your BBT throughout your cycle, which can be helpful in predicting ovulation. After the egg is released, the BBT usually rises from 97.6 F to 98.6 F.

After ovulation, an increase in BBT that lasts for 18 days or more can be an early sign of pregnancy.

Ovulation predictor

Ovulation predictor kits look for an increase luteinizing hormone (LH). This is the hormone responsible for triggering ovulation. To use this kit, you will urinate on a test strip each morning, starting a few days before ovulation occurs.

A positive result indicates ovulation is imminent and you should start having sex regularly.

While useful as kits, they have limitations for people with PCOS. Because PCOS can sometimes cause persistently high levels of LH, the test can give a false-positive result (meaning you’re not pregnant even if the test says you’re pregnant). For this reason, it’s important to talk to your doctor before using an ovulation kit if you have PCOS.

Changes in cervical mucus

Monitoring your cervical mucus is another way to check your fertility window. Changes in your cervical mucus can signal impending ovulation.

As ovulation approaches, the mucus changes from thick and dry to wet, stretchy, and slippery. Many people describe the consistency as that of raw egg whites. After ovulation, cervical mucus becomes thick and dry again.

Summary

If you have PCOS, you can still conceive within a year (or even less) as long as you’re ovulating normally and don’t have other infertility risk factors. If you do, it may take longer or require the input of a fertility specialist.

Arguably, the best ways to increase your normal ovulation rate — and vice versa, your chances of conceiving — is to make healthy choices. This includes quitting smoking, exercising regularly, losing excess weight, cutting down on alcohol, and getting plenty of rest.

It also helps keep track of your fertile window by monitoring your basal body temperature, checking for changes in your cervical mucus, and using an ovulation predictor kit.

A very good word

If you’re having trouble detecting ovulation on your own, get help from your healthcare provider using a blood test called the 21-day progesterone test and a possible transvaginal ultrasound. Ovulation prediction is based on the changes of the follicles in the ovary.