Progestin treatments for PCOS affect fertility

Friday, June 08, 2012 by: Nate Curtis
Tags: PCOS, fertility, progestin

(NaturalNews) PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is a hormonal disorder that affects millions of women the world over. Its symptoms include:

• Hirsutism - excessive body hair

• Problems with the menstruation cycle whereby your periods may be light or irregular

• Gaining weight otherwise inexplicably

• Loss of hair from your head

• The onset of acne

• Difficulty in conceiving

All women's ovaries contain a small number of harmless cysts. But when the number of cysts is dramatically increased, (say by a factor of at least 2), then it is fair to assume you may have developed PCOS. Regrettably there is no known cure for PCOS at this point in time, but the good news is that it is not life threatening. It can however lead to the onset of certain health problems in later life, including type-2 diabetes and the development of high levels of cholesterol.

The actual cause of PCOS is still unknown, but it is known to often run in families. Being overweight is also thought to increase the chances of women developing the condition. It is also suspected by the medical fraternity that insulin has a part to play, as excessive levels of insulin are found in many women suffering from PCOS. The fact of the matter is that when you become overweight, this has a natural tendency to up the quantity of insulin that your body system manufactures.

Although there is no outright cure for PCOS, there are a number of medications and treatments that can help to alleviate all or some of the symptoms. Many women who are diagnosed as having a degree of infertility due to PCOS can receive various treatments to counteract the infertility. But controversially, many of the treatments that are often prescribed by doctors contain a substance known as Progestin. Progestin is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone, a hormone that helps to thicken the walls of the uterus. As a precursor to the commencement of the actual infertility treatment, Progestin is often prescribed.

Clinical trials

Recent trials have revealed that women who were not prescribed Progestin prior to the actual fertility treatment were found to be four times more likely to conceive than those who were prescribed it. Twenty percent of the women who omitted taking Progestin ended up giving birth, as opposed to only 5 percent of women who did take it.

The result of these trials has led to the conclusion that the taking of Progestin before ovulation induction takes place is unfavorable towards conceiving. By way of explanation for the uninitiated, the term "ovulation induction" refers to the drugs that are administered to promote an egg's release.

So be warned. If your doctor or clinic recommend a course of pre-treatment that includes the substance Progestin, this is more likely to actually damage your chances of becoming pregnant.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2012/nichd-24.htm

http://www.advancedfertility.com/inducovu.htm

About the author:
Nate Curtis has written dozens of health articles and is the author of the Amazingly Informative and Extremely Entertaining Free Special Health Report "It's Your Body, You Can Die If You Want To!" Check it out now at http://www.youcandieifyouwantto.com