The Gift of Parenthood organization works closely with its partners to provide fertility grant giveaways to deserving couples and individuals. Recently, we worked with Laurel Fertility to launch a $19,000 IVF giveaway campaign. The winner of this prize announced on April 16th, 2022, is Diana S. from North Highlands, CA! Learn more here. Without partners like Laurel Fertility, special giveaways like this would not be possible. Here’s some information about what makes them unique and a quick Q&A with Dr. Collin Smikle about PCOS and infertility.
Laurel Fertility Clinic Overview
Laurel Fertility Care offers cutting-edge treatments for couples and individuals struggling with many fertility issues. Their three convenient locations in San Francisco, Modesto, and Fresno, California, make them a top destination for those hoping to build their families.
With his team, Dr. Collin Smikle is committed to providing patients with the best care possible while maximizing their chances of a successful pregnancy and delivery. Laurel’s knowledgeable staff, led by highly credentialed medical and lab directors, has achieved remarkable success rates.
Click the button below to schedule a consultation with Laurel Fertility today!
PCOS And Infertility: The Facts
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common health condition that affects 1 in 20 women of reproductive age. PCOS is caused by an imbalance of hormones where the ovaries produce too many male hormones called androgens. High insulin levels can cause this imbalance.
If you are formally diagnosed with PCOS, you may have:
- Little to no ovulation with possible irregular menstrual cycles
- Clinical signs of high androgen levels (unwanted hair growth, acne) or tests that show high androgen levels in the blood
- Ultrasound of the ovaries indicating more than 12 follicles
What Do PCOS And Infertility Go Hand In Hand?
The main reason that PCOS causes infertility is infrequent ovulation. If women don’t ovulate regularly, it’s challenging to get pregnant.
How Can PCOS Be Treated?
Since hormonal imbalances cause PCOS, some of the most effective treatments involve hormone therapy. This often takes the form of different varieties of hormonal birth control, including:
- Birth control pills
- Progestin therapy
- Hormonal IUDs
- Vaginal rings
However, these therapies aren’t helpful if you are trying to get pregnant. Lifestyle changes with diet and exercise are a great place to start. Sticking to a low glycemic-index (GI) diet, limiting processed foods, and adding healthy fats, fiber, and lean meats to your diet will help lower glucose levels and improve the body’s use of insulin.
Other types of medication can be prescribed, but if these treatments aren’t successful, you may need to consider a more aggressive intervention, like in vitro fertilization.
Can I Still Get Pregnant With PCOS?
Although PCOS is typically associated with infertility, not all women who have PCOS are infertile. Most women suffering from it can achieve successful pregnancies and deliveries.
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that those with PCOS are at risk of developing gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, and pre-eclampsia, so a doctor must closely monitor their BMI, blood pressure, and oral glucose tolerance.
Laurel Fertility Care’s team of skilled reproductive endocrinologists is available to help patients with PCOS who have difficulty conceiving. They are dedicated to helping your family move past PCOS and infertility.
Many couples struggle to conceive and do not have the means to seek treatment. At The Gift of Parenthood organization, we look forward to a future of more affordable and successful fertility treatment options for those struggling. In the meantime, we aim to help couples and individuals struggling with infertility achieve their dreams of becoming parents through monthly grant giveaways. We are honored to partner with Laurel Fertility to make parenthood possible for those struggling.
