Q: My daughter is about to get married and is keen to start a family. Since the age of 17, she has suffered from Polycystic Ovaries, showing symptoms such as facial hair, hair loss and a weight problem. She has also been warned that conception may be more complicated for her. She used to have infrequent periods but now has them regularly every 5 to 6 weeks. The normal help for her condition, such as the contraceptive pill or metformin, she cannot be prescribed as the first gave her occasional blackouts and the second nausea. She keeps her weight under control by sensible eating but even so is probably a little more than she should be for her height. Is there any advice you would give her to increase her chances of conceiving?
A: In each menstrual cycle, follicles (which contain eggs) grow on the ovaries. One of these follicles will reach maturity faster than the others and be released at ovulation. The remaining follicles will degenerate. In the case of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries are much larger than normal, and there are a series of undeveloped follicles that appear in clumps, like a bunch of grapes. This can cause…