Читать книгу Need to Know Fertility, Conception and Pregnancy - Harriet Sharkey - Страница 114

A common cause for a woman having difficulty conceiving is a hormonal imbalance that upsets the process of egg production or ovulation every month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common disorders that upset ovulation. This is considered the major reason for women not producing an egg every month. If you have PCOS, the symptoms you are likely to experience are irregular, very spaced out or even absent periods, a greasier skin and acne and excess body hair. These three features do not always occur together. In this condition, an egg starts to develop every month, but because the hormone levels that control egg production are imbalanced, the egg stops maturating and is left as a tiny follicle or ‘cyst’ on the ovary. These are not true cysts on the ovary but rather small follicles where an egg has started to develop but stops before it matures.

Other medical problems, like thyroid disease, can also affect production of the egg. If you are very overweight with a BMI of over 29, this can also upset the ability of your ovaries to produce an egg every month because excess fat can cause a hormonal imbalance. This can be improved simply by losing weight, which often leads not only to a more regular menstrual cycle but also better fertility. Even a modest amount of weight loss in this situation can make a big difference. Women who are very underweight may also have a disturbance in their menstrual cycle. In this situation, weight gain makes a difference.