Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
Asian Patients Have Lower Rates Of Pregnancy And Live Birth Than Caucasian Patients
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common causes of irregular ovulation and infertility. PCOS is really a misnomer. Often one of the signs seen in women who have this syndrome are many small follicles on their ovaries, which are detected when evaluated by ultrasound. Many women assume the problem is the presence of these small cysts, when the real problem is the imbalance of cyclic hormones in the body and the sensitivity of those women’s brain to these hormones, causing irregular menses, infertility, and sometimes extra hair growth. Women with this disorder are sometimes overweight. The hormones involved in reproduction can be dissolved in fat and some overweight women have extra stores of these hormones in their extra fat tissue. Their hormone levels can be artificially high, preventing the brain from instructing the ovary to develop an egg. This prevents ovulation, which prevents the opportunity for conception.