Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), now more accurately referred to as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), is one of the most common causes of infertility, but it doesn't have to define your fertility journey.
PCOS is a common hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect the menstrual cycle, ovulation, fertility and your overall health. Hormone imbalances can disrupt the normal growth and release of eggs from the ovaries, causing ovulation to occur infrequently or not at all.
Because ovulation is essential for natural conception, these hormonal changes can make it more difficult to become pregnant. The good news is that with an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan, many people with PCOS are able to restore ovulation and successfully build their families.
PCOS can present differently from person to person, and symptoms can range from mild to more significant. Common signs and symptoms include: • Irregular or absent periods
• Acne
• Excess facial or body hair (hirsutism)
• Thinning hair on the scalp
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Insulin resistance
• Polycystic-appearing ovaries on ultrasound
• Difficulty becoming pregnant
There is no single test to diagnose PCOS. Instead, diagnosis is based on your medical history, symptoms, a physical exam, hormone testing, and often a pelvic ultrasound, while ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms. Despite its name, not everyone with PCOS has polycystic-appearing ovaries, and ovarian cysts are not required to make the diagnosis. This is one reason why the condition is now referred to as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), which more accurately reflects that the condition affects multiple hormonal and metabolic systems—not just the ovaries.
The exact cause of PCOS is not fully understood. Instead, it is believed to result from a complex interaction of genetic, hormonal, metabolic, and environmental factors that affect how the ovaries and other hormone-regulating systems function.
For many people, insulin resistance is also a key contributor. Higher insulin levels can stimulate the ovaries to produce excess androgens (male-type hormones), disrupting normal ovulation and making it more difficult to conceive. Insulin resistance can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other metabolic health conditions.
Because PCOS affects everyone differently, treatment should be personalized to address your specific symptoms, risk factors and fertility needs, helping you improve your overall health while achieving your reproductive goals.
Following a comprehensive evaluation to confirm the diagnosis of PCOS and identify any underlying hormonal or metabolic concerns, we’ll design a personalized treatment plan based on your unique needs and goals. Whether you’re hoping to become pregnant now or planning for the future, we’ll work together to develop an approach that’s right for you.
Healthy lifestyle changes can improve insulin resistance, support hormone balance, and promote more regular ovulation. We provide practical, evidence-based guidance that complements medical treatment and supports your fertility goals and long-term health.
Metformin helps improve the body’s response to insulin, which can reduce insulin resistance and regulate your hormones. This can lead to more regular ovulation and increases the chance of pregnancy.
For patients trying to conceive, ovulation induction medication can help restore more regular and predictable ovulation, improving the likelihood of pregnancy. These medications are often the first-line fertility treatments for people with PCOS.
If other treatments have not resulted in pregnancy, IVF may offer the highest chance of success. It can be an effective option for people with PCOS, particularly when ovulation induction alone or with intrauterine insemination (IUI) have not been successful.
My husband and I started actively trying to get pregnant with no success. I have PCOS and was rarely ovulating on my own. I was losing hope, but my doctor reassured me that she believed I would get pregnant."
Tiffani & Tim
New York
When you’re navigating PCOS, having the right team matters. We take a holistic, personalized approach that considers your hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive health. As part of a collaborative network of fertility specialists, you’ll receive individualized care backed by decades of shared expertise.
Everleap Fertility brings together decades of experience in PCOS care, giving our doctors a deep foundation of clinical expertise to guide diagnosis and treatment while providing compassionate, personalized care.
Our physicians stay at the forefront of reproductive medicine through ongoing research, collaboration, and continuous education, bringing the latest evidence and treatment advances directly to our patients.
Our fertility nutrition specialists work alongside your physician to help address insulin resistance, optimize metabolic health, and build sustainable lifestyle habits that complement your personalized treatment plan.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), now known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), is a common hormonal and metabolic condition that affects how the ovaries function, your fertility, and your overall health. It can disrupt normal ovulation, leading to irregular menstrual cycles and making it more difficult to become pregnant. PCOS can also affect metabolism, insulin resistance, and long-term health, which is why a comprehensive, personalized approach to diagnosis and treatment is so important.
There is no single cause of PCOS. Instead, it is believed to result from a combination of genetic, hormonal, and metabolic factors. Insulin resistance also plays an important role for many people with PCOS by contributing to hormone imbalances that can disrupt normal ovulation and make it more difficult to become pregnant.
There is no single test for PCOS. Instead, diagnosis is based on a combination of your symptoms, medical history, hormone testing, and a pelvic ultrasound.
PCOS treatment is personalized and is based on your symptoms, hormone levels, and family-building goals. Treatment may include nutrition and lifestyle changes, medications such as Metformin, ovulation induction, and more advanced fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization (IVF), when appropriate.
No. Many people with PCOS are able to become pregnant naturally or with fertility treatment. Although PCOS is one of the most common causes of ovulatory infertility, it does not prevent pregnancy for everyone. With the right team and the right treatment, we can help you find the right path forward.
