Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Pregnancy

Because polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an ovarian disorder marked by a lack of estrogen, small ovarian cysts and high levels of insulin in a woman's body, pregnant women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome are at an especially high risk of suffering from pregnancy complications and miscarriages. Keep reading to learn more about the pregnancy complications associated with PCOS.

Gestational diabetes refers to the body's inability to properly regulate its insulin levels while a woman is pregnant. Four percent of all women suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

 

However, because women with polycystic ovary syndrome already have problems naturally regulating insulin levels in their bodies, the hormone changes associated with pregnancy tend to accentuate this existing issue, contributing to the development of gestational diabetes. Pregnant women who suffer from PCOS and who are also obese are especially susceptible to suffering from gestational diabetes.

 

As a result, PCOS patients who become pregnant should be tested for gestational diabetes early in their pregnancies. Treatment for gestational diabetes includes a special diet, regular exercise, regular blood glucose testing and possibly insulin injections.

Preeclampsia is a side effect of gestational diabetes that causes hypertension and edema (bodily swelling) due to the body's retention of water. While 5 percent of pregnancies in women without PCOS are marked by preeclampsia, this condition is far more pervasive in PCOS patients, due to their higher disposition to suffering from gestational diabetes, hypertension and other pregnancy complications.

 

Treating preeclampsia revolves around treating the underlying condition, namely gestational diabetes.

Hypertension, the technical term for high blood pressure, is another potential complication that women suffering from PCOS may suffer during pregnancy. Although 1 percent to 5 percent of all pregnant women are at risk of suffering from hypertension, PCOS patients are at a far higher risk.

 

Women with PCOS who suffered from hypertension before becoming pregnant are also at a higher risk of having this complication during their pregnancies. Because obesity and hypertension are related, obese pregnant women who also suffer from PCOS are at a higher risk of having hypertension during their pregnancies.

 

In general, the medical community is still debating whether or not mild to moderate cases of hypertension in PCOS patients should involve a regimen of antihypertensive drugs due to potential complications. However, most doctors agree that pregnant PCOS patients should continue taking these medications if the benefits outweigh the risks.

While women without PCOS miscarry at a rate of about 15 percent, miscarriages are far more common in those with PCOS, soaring to a rate of 45 percent. Due to the elevated levels of certain hormones and insulin in their blood, pregnant women with PCOS are at a far greater risk of experiencing blood clots, especially in the area between the lining of the uterus and the placenta. If these blood clots can't be properly broken down, the fetus won't receive proper nutrition or be able to dispel waste.

 

Regulating insulin levels through diet, exercise and possibly insulin injections, as well as monitoring blood pressure and clotting, are the best ways to prevent miscarriage for PCOS pregnancies.

 

Clearly, insulin resistance and hormone imbalances are at the heart of the pregnancy complications associated with PCOS. As a result, those who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome should see their OBGYNs more frequently during pregnancy to closely monitor fetal development and ensure the baby's health.

 

 

Insulite Laboratories. PCOS and Pregnancy. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from the Insulite Laboratories Web site: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-and-Pregnancy.php.