For many women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pregnancy appears unattainable. One of the leading causes of infertility, PCOS affects a woman's hormones, creating havoc with menstruation and ovulation and hampering pregnancy. While some women with PCOS are able to conceive naturally without the assistance of in vitro fertilization and other medical interventions, others will need to control their symptoms with medication before trying to conceive naturally, says the National Women's Health Information Center.
Achieve a Healthy Weight
Many women with PCOS are overweight or obese and have trouble with their insulin levels. Carrying additional weight along with high levels of insulin alters a woman's levels of sex hormones, causing trouble with ovulation, menstruation and pregnancy.
By achieving an ideal weight, some women with PCOS can increase their chances of getting pregnant naturally. It may only take a 10-percent reduction of one's body weight to see a difference in fertility. Weight loss can also help to regulate insulin levels, re-establishing normal menstruation and ovulation, reports the National Women's Health Information Center.
Observe Basal Body Temperatures
Once a woman with PCOS has her hormones in balance and ovulation resumes, she can often get pregnant naturally. In order to get pregnant naturally with PCOS, a woman may find it helpful to identify the day she ovulates each month. The day of ovulation is the day her egg frees itself from the ovary to be fertilized by a man's sperm in the fallopian tubes.
A woman's basal body temperature (BBT) indicates the moment, give or take a day or two, the egg releases. In order to identify this peak fertility day, a woman must take her temperature upon waking each morning for several weeks or more. On ovulation day, a woman's BBT goes up several tenths of a degree, remaining there until her period begins. Intercourse should take place daily or every other day from the end of her period until the temperature spike appears, states the American Pregnancy Association.
Monitor Cervical Mucus
Another way for women with PCOS to get pregnant naturally involves observing the changes in cervical mucus throughout the month. On most days of the month, a woman has dry or slightly wet secretions in her vagina. As ovulation day nears, her body starts to produce thick, stretchy, wet cervical mucus. Often with an egg-white consistency, this type of vaginal discharge only lasts for a day or two, although some women may have mucus for several days or a week.
When this type of discharge is present and ovulation is near, intercourse should take place daily or every other day. By the time this egg-white mucus is gone, ovulation has likely occurred, says the American Pregnancy Association.
