Treatment options for PCOS

By Dr. Shobha Gupta     

HT City: Treatment for infertility

PCOS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome as we all know is an incurable disorder in which woman’s levels of sex hormones estrogen and progesterone gets out of balance and most women do not know that they have it unless and until they go for a checkup. It mostly affects women of reproductive age from puberty to menopause i.e. 12-45 years old.     

PCOS leads to growth of ovarian cysts. To elaborate; in PCOS, the ovaries produce higher levels of androgen than normal, and this interferes with egg development and release. Some of the eggs develop into cysts which are little sacs filled with liquid and instead of being released during ovulation, these cysts build up in the ovaries and even get enlarged , hence the name poly cystic ovaries or Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome     

Every second patient, I treat in Delhi has PCOS. In PCOS patients there are sufficient number of eggs which helps in conceiving but PCOS patients do not have that capacity where their eggs develop itself for pregnancy. In a research by USA, few years ago it was found out that via laparoscopy or key-hole surgery the ovaries are punctured with a small needle carrying an electric current or using laser to voluntarily breech the ovarian capsule. This surgery can lower male hormone levels and help with ovulation. But it indeed needs lot of alertness by the doctors as there are various risks are associated with it like infections from the incision, bleeding from the incision, pain after the procedure etc.                                                         

But the biggest risk associated with the ovarian drilling surgery is that it could destroy too much of the ovary and causes your egg supply to diminish at a young age, sending you into early menopause.    

So, it is very important for women to know and get aware that they should not go for ovarian drilling in PCOS treatment especially if they have not been

Do’s and Don’ts while undergoing IVF treatment

By Dr. Shobha Gupta 

Today in this blog I will talk about what you should do and what you shouldn’t do during IVF treatment.  There are a few things that you need to keep in mind to better your chances of conception. 

1.Stay stress free and think positive.  As High stress levels are known to reduce fertility in both men and women and compromise on the outcome of an IVF cycle. 

2. Eat good balanced diet. Getting wholesome diet is vital for producing healthy eggs and promoting implantation of the embryo. Your diet should consist of 4-6 small meals each day and each should consist of  fresh fruits and vegetables. 

3. Staying hydrated is very important. Some women during IVF process suffer from OHSS (Ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome) so drink lots of fluids during this time. Drinking 3-5 liters of water per day can prevent OHSS in some cases. N

4. Stop alcohol consumption, even in small amounts, as it can reduce a woman's chance of conceiving by more than 50%, so why take a chance. 

5. Communication is the key. Maintain proper communication with your doctor and as well as your partner too as it will help in making your