I recently learned I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Can you tell me more about PCOS and my options to get pregnant?

Let's start with a typical cycle for a woman who does not have PCOS. Each month, her ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone in a delicate balance which leads to ovulation, when an egg is released.

For women who do have PCOS, her ovaries have eggs in them and the hormones are there, but they're not in balance, so she doesn't ovulate regularly or release the eggs regularly. This is completely out of her control, and happens on a complicated and intricate molecular level within the ovary. Many of her hormones get converted to more "male type" hormones - also known as androgenic hormones. These hormones make women with PCOS very likely to have:

• more acne
• difficulty losing weight
• irregular periods or no periods
• more hair where you don't want it, like the chin, upper lip, and around the breasts