Patients struggling with infertility, PCOS and weight can find hope at Texas Fertility Center

When patients visit our Austin PCOS doctors for help trying to conceive, they’ve often typed “weight loss for PCOS” into Google. It makes sense because there is a strong link between PCOS and weight issues. It can be frustrating for women longing for a baby to see the numbers on the scale creep up, even when taking steps to lose weight in hopes of getting pregnant. While it can be harder to drop the pounds and get pregnant with polycystic ovary syndrome, it’s not impossible.

Why is weight loss for PCOS so hard?

It’s a vicious cycle when it comes to polycystic ovary syndrome and weight. Women with PCOS are more likely to have excess weight, while excess weight worsens the symptoms of the condition and can make it even harder to conceive. For this reason, more than 50% of patients with PCOS are overweight.

Many women with this condition feel weight loss for PCOS is impossible. They are eating very restrictive diets and exercising all the time, but the weight just won’t come off. It is not because they are lazy or not working hard enough. Quite the opposite, actually. Women with PCOS have to contend with their diagnosis and often have to work harder to achieve the same results as their friends without PCOS.

Patients often ask our Austin PCOS doctors why there’s a link between PCOS and weight. It all relates to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is made in the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels. After eating, the glucose in the blood increases. This triggers the release of insulin. Insulin then tells the cells to let in the glucose to use it for energy.

With PCOS, insulin does not work as effectively, so the body makes more of it. Elevated levels of insulin tell the body to store more fat, which leads to weight gain, often in the midsection. Insulin also stimulates appetite and can cause cravings, especially for sugary foods. The result is often eating excessive calories, and again, weight gain. Higher body fat leads to higher testosterone, which worsens other PCOS symptoms like acne and unwanted hair growth.

What are tips for the management of PCOS and weight issues to improve fertility?

Fortunately, weight loss for PCOS is possible. Our Austin PCOS doctors find that lifestyle modifications can be very effective for women who wish to lose weight to improve their fertility. We encourage patients to develop personalized diet and exercise plans targeted to lower insulin levels and bring hormones back into balance. In addition to lifestyle changes, certain supplements and prescription medications can help patients lose weight on the path to pregnancy. Effective fertility treatments are also available for women struggling to conceive with PCOS, so don’t lose hope.

If you’re ready to end the vicious cycle of infertility related to PCOS and weight issues, our team can help. Contact us to schedule an appointment to learn more about fertility treatment for women with PCOS.