PCOS in women has been known to affect different systems in the body – but to what extent does it affect pregnancy? Women with PCOS are often apprehensive when they plan their families and have obvious questions about how PCOS can affect their children. It is a legitimate concern since PCOS is a hormonal disorder and there are a lot of hormones at play during the term of pregnancy. It is best to have a talk with your healthcare provider about the risks you may have while you are pregnant and have PCOS. Irregularity in periods and absence of ovulation are hallmarks of PCOS and can make it difficult to get pregnant and carry it to full term.
There are a few risks that are more prevalent in women with PCOS, and it is important that they are aware of the same before they get pregnant. Following up with your doctor is necessary to reduce the complications of pregnancy that accompany if you have PCOS. The pregnancy complications in PCOS are:
1. Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia:
A woman who develops high blood pressure for the first time after 20 weeks of her pregnancy. –It is said to have gestational hypertension. Preeclampsia is another serious health condition that is denote by protein. Getting add to the urine of a pregnant woman along with high blood pressure. It is best to detect preeclampsia early because if left untreated – preeclampsia can progress to eclampsia. Eclampsia can cause seizures, blindness and even coma. It can severely compromise the life of the mother and the child.
Your doctor will check your blood pressure every time you visit them so that they can keep a check if you have developed any signs of preeclampsia. In case you diagnose with it, you will advise resting well, monitor your blood pressure, and take some pregnancy-safe medications to lower your blood pressure.
2. Miscarriage:
If you have PCOS, the chances of having a miscarriage are slightly more than women who do not have it. There is no direct link between PCOS and miscarriages essentially, but doctors and researchers theorize a few factors that might be responsible for it. Since women with PCOS have irregular menstrual cycles. The fetus is subject to a lot of hormonal imbalances – compromising its attachment to the uterus.
Also, in addition, there is a link between disorderly blood sugar and miscarriage, even if the woman has no PCOS. Since women with PCOS have an imbalance of insulin in their body, they are at a greater risk of miscarriage. In addition, higher levels of male hormones such as androgens, can lead to dysfunction in hormones – causing miscarriage.
Since it is a risk factor, it is necessary to track your hormones throughout your pregnancy with the help of your healthcare provider.
3. Gestational diabetes:
Diabetes during pregnancy occurs when the body changes the way it processes sugar. Women with gestational diabetes have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, which requires ongoing monitoring of blood sugar levels.
Women with gestational diabetes routinely test for blood sugar levels between the 26th and 28th week of pregnancy. The screening may get complete earlier for women with diabetes, insulin resistance, or who are at higher risk for developing gestational diabetes.
Pregnant women over 25 with gestational diabetes, overweight women with prediabetes, or family members with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop gestational diabetes. Because of the association between PCOS and insulin resistance and prediabetes, PCOS is a member of that group. It is possible to treat gestational diabetes with lifestyle changes and medication if necessary. You need to be vigilant about monitoring your blood sugar as directed by your healthcare provider because babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are at an increased risk for high birth weight, preterm birth, respiratory issues at birth, and low blood sugar.
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4. Premature birth:
A woman with PCOS is also more likely to deliver her baby early. This problem does not completely get solve. Women with PCOS are at an increased risk of preeclampsia, which is a risk factor for premature birth. Researchers found that babies born to mothers who have PCOS are more likely to be large (call large for gestational age), to aspirate meconium during their first few minutes, and to have low Apgar scores at five minutes.
PCOS in women can show up in many ways and affect many areas of your health. Pregnancy is a complete developmental process that regulate by a lot of factors, and PCOS can make it tricky. But with the correct guidance and a few precautions – it is possible to have a full-term healthy baby even with PCOS. Your healthcare provider can devise an entire pregnancy plan with you to chart out all that you need to do to plan your family and also keep your PCOS symptoms under control.
