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Infertility is defined as the “inability to naturally conceive a child or to carry a pregnancy to full term.” The majority of medical experts will not classify a person and/or a couple as infertile until they have been trying for at least a year to get pregnant without any success. Women who find themselves able to become pregnant but then have repeat miscarriages are often classified as being infertile. There are numerous reasons why a couple may find themselves unable to conceive a child and may find it necessary to seek medical assistance in order to do so.

The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID) deems a couple to be infertile if after one year of unprotected intercourse they have not conceived. This drops to six months if the woman is 35 years of age or older. The reason for this is that a woman’s fertility takes a drastic drop at the age of 35 and it continues to drop even further after that age. Being able to sustain a pregnancy and carry it to term is important as well so if a woman is unable to do that then she is classified as infertile.

Approximately 10 percent of all individuals of reproductive age are infertile which works out to be 15 percent of couples. On average 40 percent of the time the infertility has to do with the man while 40 percent of the time it has to do with the woman. The rest of the time it can be as a result of both of the sexes. Most healthy couples in their twenties who are having sex on a regular basis have a one in four chance of conceiving a child in any given month of the calendar year. This is what the medical community refers to as “fecundity.”

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine estimates that 6.1 million individuals residing in the United States are infertile. As stated above, one third of the time it is due to a male factor, the other third of the time it is a female factor, the problem co-existing between the man and the woman accounts for the problem 15 percent of the time while there are still other instances where the cases of infertility is mysterious and unexplained. This is known as primary infertility.

There is also such a thing as secondary infertility and this is when a woman has a difficult time conceiving a child after she has already had a child in the past or previous children with little if any complications at all. Sometimes this is attributed to a medical condition such as a hormonal problem but it could also be a problem that is connected with age or else as the result of mental stress and strain to make sure that the first child has a brother or sister. If the woman has changed partners and is now having a problem getting pregnant this is not attributed to secondary infertility.

There are also instances where a woman’s ovaries have not matured to a point where they can release eggs every month as they are supposed to. When this happens, injections of synthetic FSH can be administered in order to stimulate the eggs to properly mature in the ovaries.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: american society for reproductive medicine, Fertility, infertility

Approximately two thirds of all couples that seek help for infertility are able to have a baby at some point in time. In an estimated 80 to 85 percent of cases, infertility is treated by way of surgery or drugs, but other methods are available.

Infertility can be treated in a variety of ways. Conventional medicine, surgery, assisted reproductive technology (ART) or artificial inseminations are all valid and current methods for treating infertility. Sometimes one treatment will be tried and if it does not prove successful, another will be attempted. In other cases, more than one treatment is combined for optimum results.

A doctor decides on what treatment to use based on a number of different factors which include the results of diagnostic tests, the length of time which a couple has been attempting to conceive, the age of both partners, the overall general health of both partners, and whether or not the partners have a preference for having a boy or a girl baby.

The main causes of infertility in men are sexual problems or too few sperm. A sexual problem could be either impotency or premature ejaculation; in most instances, either medicine or behavioural therapy or both is used to treat these problems. If a lack of sperm is the problem (or if the sperm are not good swimmers), then surgery can be undertaken to correct this situation. In some cases, physicians can surgically remove sperm from the man’s reproductive tract to use for the purposes of impregnating a woman. In a few cases, low sperm count can be attributed to an infection. If this is the case then antibiotics can be prescribed to clear up the infection.

A variety of different treatments are often employed to treat women who are infertile. If ovulation occurs sporadically or not at all then it is essential for the woman to speak with her doctor about both the pros as well as the cons of taking medicine to improve the situation and get her ovulation back to normal. It is extremely important that a woman understands all of the risks and benefits as well as the side effects that could accompany these medications.

Surgery is sometimes a viable method of treating some instances of infertility in women, depending on where the problem lies. If a woman’s has a blockage in her fallopian tubes then surgery could be effective and surgery could also be effective if the problem lies with the ovaries or the uterus.

Another type of treatment for infertility is intrauterine insemination (IUI). Intrauterine insemination is more commonly known as artificial insemination. In IUI, a woman is injected with sperm that has been specially prepared in a laboratory. In some cases, before artificial insemination is undertaken the female patient is instructed to take medication that is meant to stimulate ovulation. IUI is most often a viable means of treating females who have problems with their amount of cervical mucus. In fewer cases, the cause can be what is known as “a mild male factor” causing the infertility. In some cases, infertility problems have no apparent cause.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: impotency, infertility, ovulation

Before medicine is prescribed for female infertility, a doctor will perform a complete physical exam on the patient. He will ask questions about the patient’s present state of health (both physical and mental), medical history and sexual patterns. Some doctors will choose to talk to both partners while others will deal with the woman alone.

There are some common medicines that are used to treat infertility in women. These medicines include clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin (or hMG), follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, metformin and bromocriptine. We’ll take a brief look at each one of these medicines.

Clomiphene citrate, which is sold under the brand name Clomid, is a type of medication that makes ovulation take place by working on the pituitary gland in the brain. This medicine, which is taken orally, is commonly prescribed for women who have a variety of problems with ovulation including those who suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Similar to Clomid, human menopausal gonadotropin (or hMG) is sold under the names Pergonal and Repronex and this medication is geared for women who do not ovulate every month due to a problem or problems that exist with the pituitary gland. This injected form of medicine works specifically on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation to take place.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (or FSH) is sold under the names Follistim and Gonal-F and this drug works a great deal like hMG. What it does is it stimulates the ovaries to cause ovulation to kick into gear. This form of infertility medicine is most often injected.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, often abbreviated to Gn-RH is meant for females who do not ovulate on a consistent basis every month. Women who have a tendency to ovulate before the egg is ready are advised to be prescribed this kind of infertility medicine. The Gn-RH analogs work on the pituitary gland of the brain to modify when the body goes about the process of ovulation. Most of the time the Gn-RH analog medications are injected or sometimes they are administered in the form of a nasal spray.

Metformin is sold under the brand name Glucophage. Physicians prescribe this medication for female patients who either suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or else who have insulin resistance. The action of this drug lowers the high levels of male hormones that exist in women who suffer from these conditions. Metformin allows the body to facilitate the ovulation process. This medication is taken by mouth. It is sometimes combined with either clomiphene citrate or FSH.

The last commonly-prescribed medication for infertility is bromocriptine, which is sold as Parlodel. Women who have problems with ovulation that is related to high levels of prolactin can be helped by way of this kind of medicine. Prolactin is a hormone in the body that stimulates the production of milk.

It is important to be aware that many medicines that are used to treat infertility can greatly increase a woman’s chances having twins, triplets or quadruplets. Multiple fetuses tend to cause pregnant women more complications and they are considered high risk because there is the worry that they will be born prematurely.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: Fertility, human menopausal gonadotropin, infertility

One of the most emotionally-charged medical issues that couples deal with today is infertility. This problem can drain a couple emotionally; it has been known to be the cause of many marital breakups. For those couples who love each other enough to make it through this issue, it can eat away at their finances as they try expensive fertility treatments, only some of which will wind up working. Thousands can be spent in the hopes of conceiving a baby and too often it is all for nothing. Now some couples are trying acupuncture to see if maybe that might provide a solution to their problem.

There are some limits to acupuncture when it comes to fertility treatments. An ethical and caring acupuncturist will tell their patients up front that acupuncture cannot cure all infertility problems. For example, if there is physical damage, then acupuncture is unable to help. Such problems are better handled by another kind of medical professional. But if the fertility specialist has told their patient that there appears to be nothing physically wrong, that they should be able to conceive, and the couple is still not successful in getting pregnant, it’s difficult to know where to turn. For these couples, acupuncture may be able to help them to conceive.

If the health care provider or fertility specialist tells you that there is damage to one or the other of your reproductive organs, listen to them. They may still have methods by which they can help a couple conceive, but acupuncture will be of no direct help. But there are methods of acupuncture that can be done, and have shown positive results when structural damage is not the issue.

In addition to the well-known needle treatments, the acupuncturist may also suggest the use of some herbal teas. The treatments for fertility, though obviously somewhat different in nature and extent, can be used for both men and women.

The treatments usually involve the placement needles in the earlobes, eyebrows, ears and fingertips. Once the needles have been inserted carefully in the correct points the patient will relax for around a half an hour. Some acupuncturists tell their patients it takes only a few treatments to make a difference while others say it could take a few months.

This method of treating female infertility is said to work because it rebalances the hormonal levels in the body. The acupuncture treatments are often in combination with the use of some herbs to reduce other hormone levels and help to regulate ovulation and so assist a woman to conceive.

The acupuncture treatments relieve stress. Often, when a couple is trying to conceive and do not have immediate success, the couple can come under a great deal of emotional pressure. This pressure can make it difficult conceive. In these cases, acupuncture alleviates stress and increases blood flow which can also help to retain the pregnancy if conception is successful.

Some people say that acupuncture is a desperate move by people desperate to have a baby. Yet it seems that all fertility treatment is exactly that and if something can help that is less financially and emotionally demanding then why not try it? It is safe, noninvasive and much less costly than most fertility treatments.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: acupuncture, Fertility, infertility

It is an accepted fact that all living beings on the earth are able to reproduce. In fact the urge and desire to reproduce and keep the line going is central to all beings. Infertility not only disturbs the lives of the couple, but also affects their near and dear ones, who love them and want to see them happy. Here we are going to discuss a few questions, frequently asked by people.

What is Infertility?

Due to certain disease or inadequacies, natural conception does not take place, it is called infertility. This infertility could be in the male, or in female, or in rare cases in both. Infertility is established only when pregnancy does not take place despite repeated efforts over a period of time, perhaps a year or so. Also, in cases of those women who end up having miscarriages are also termed infertile.

Frequency of infertility in the USA

Nearly 1 in 10 couples in the US are unable to reproduce. Infertility is due to the male in 33% of the cases and the same percentage is due to the female. Nearly 15% are caused by problems with both, the male and the female, and the remaining balance percentage is made of various other causes.

How to check infertility in men?

The physical and mental state of the patient is checked, a record of past diseases and accidents and other significant occurrences is noted. This is followed by pathological tests of blood and so on to trace any past or existing disease, and hormone imbalance. If nothing abnormal is discovered, semen samples are then taken for tests. The quantity of semen, the sperm count, and its mobility are checked. A physical check up of the genitals is done to ensure that there is no tenderness, or cyst in and around the testis.

How to check infertility in women?

In the case of women, again past medical record and complete physical health check up is done. This is followed by a more detailed examinations and tests. Tests are done to find hormonal imbalance, the state of the lining of the uterus, and the functioning of the thyroid. A laparoscopic examination of the organs is done and a detailed check carried out of progesterone is made to establish that there is proper ovulation, which will lead to pregnancy, is taking place or not.

What causes male infertility the most?

Male infertility may occur due to two main reasons; (i) when zero sperm cells are produced, which is also known as Azoospermia, and (ii) when only a minimum number of sperm cells are produced, which is known as Oligospermia. Other than the above discussed two problems, sometimes its due to improper production of sperm cells, they die even before fertilization. In rare cases, there are some genetic concerns like, cystic fibrosis or some abnormality in chromosomes may lead to the problem.

What are the most common causes for female infertility?

There may be various causes for female infertility. The female reproduction system is complicated, even a small imbalance can affect the normal reproduction process. Generally, blocked fallopian tubes or improper ovulation are the reasons for the concern. Frequent miscarriages also may lead to the problem. Apart from these, age is also an important factor. A woman’s ability to conceive is affected after the age of 35, due to less production of eggs after that age.

What is ART?

ART (assisted reproductive technologies) is a term given to explain the various methods which may help infertile couples to have a child. The process of ART is not a simple one. It includes surgically taking out of eggs from a female’s ovaries, fertilize them with sperm in a laboratory, and once this step is done, implanting the fertilized egg back into the female’s uterus.

When can in vitro fertilization be taken?

IVF (in vitro fertilization) can be undertaken, when the fallopian tubes of a woman are blocked or one of them is missing. This method can also be tried out in case of low sperm count in a male. IVF method has been proved to be very effective and has given positive results to millions of couples. In this method, a woman’s egg is taken out and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. Then it is put back into her uterus again.

Are there some medicines to treat infertility in females?

There are a few medicines like, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), metformin and bromocriptin, clomiphen citrate, etc., prescribed to cure infertility in females.

Where can we find information about infertility?

Following are where more information regarding infertility problems can be obtained;

National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC)
The American College of Obstetrician and Gynecology (ACOG) Resource Center
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The National Infertility Association
The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: Fertility, infertility, infertility in men, infertility in women

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is estimated to affect over 10% of women around the world. It is essentially a hormone imbalance which causes women to undergo a series of symptoms. These include:

1. Hair growth in a masculine pattern on the face and elsewhere on the body.
   Infertility
2. Irregular, reduced or a total lack of menstruation. When menstruation does occur, it can be much more heavier than in a ‘normal’ period
3. Insulin resistance, which can result in diabetes
4. Weight gain—many women with PCOS become obese, which exacerbates other symptoms (such as insulin resistance). It can be much more difficult for women with PCOS to lose weight, as compared to women without the syndrome.

The root causes of PCOS are unknown, although several theories abound. A clear sign of PCOS is the production of many follicles on the ovary, none or few of which result in the production of a mature ovum which can be fertilized (hence the problems with infertility in many women with PCOS).

A theory which is gaining currency is that the underlying cause is the failure of the pituitary to secrete enough FSH, or Follicle Stimulating Hormone. This hormone starts the entire cascade of other hormones which leads to a proper fertility cycle. Without enough FSH, the follicles of the ovary are unable to mature effectively, which may lead to the proliferation of immature follicles on the ovarian surface.

The typical ovarian cyst in a woman with PCOS is typically enlarged 5 to 7 times greater than a normally-maturing ovarian cyst. Its larger-than-normal size and the number of immature cysts result in an excess of hormone production. The cysts generally produce androgens (male hormones, like testosterone) and insulin, both of which cause some additional symptoms seen in this syndrome.

Among PCOS’ most serious effects is on the production of insulin and subsequent insulin resistance. Insulin is primarily produced by the pancreas, but also by the follicles on the ovary. Since the follicles are much more numerous, and produce much more insulin, they contribute to an overproduction of insulin in the body.

All cells in the body rely on insulin to take in the right amount of glucose. The liver relies on insulin levels to tell it when to produce more glucose, while the cells (muscles, brain, all cells) rely on insulin to tell them how much glucose to use. In a smoothly-functioning insulin-glucose system, the pancreas secretes insulin in response to the body’s needs—after eating, during exercise, or during rest periods, for example. As you can imagine, the amount of insulin produced over a day can vary a good deal. The system is normally self-regulating. That is, the liver produces more glucose, the cells use more glucose, and insulin production goes down.

In a woman with PCOS, the ovaries become the main insulin producers of the body, overpowering the pancreas and the normal insulin-glucose cycle. Rather than responding to the body’s true needs for insulin, the ovaries continue to secrete larger-than-normal amounts of the hormone, continually assaulting the liver and other cells of the body. Over time, the liver becomes a chronic overproducer of glucose, while the cells become increasingly resistant to the insulin signals. The result is insulin resistance—and a resultant case of diabetes.

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John Lonergan is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on PCOS & Insulin Resistance.

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Tags: Fertility, infertility, insulin resistance, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

What is PCOS? It seems to be in the news and on TV programs these days, but it is difficult to understand what it is, and what causes it. PCOS stands for “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,” which is, at basis, a condition in which women produce many follicles on their ovaries each month, but generally do not produce a mature egg.

These follicles emit hormones, and wreak havoc on a woman’s hormonal system. Since the follicles emit testosterone, they can cause a woman to grow facial hair. They also secrete insulin, which results in long-term insulin resistance, and can eventually result in full-blown Type II diabetes, which must be treated for the rest of a woman’s life.

PCOS often is the cause for infertility. Many of us know that fertility requires a careful balance of female hormones in order to produce an egg on a regular basis. Since the woman suffering from PCOS has a deficit in estrogen and progesterone—the two primary female hormones associated with fertility and female qualities—she is often unable to produce an egg for fertilization.

What causes PCOS? It’s been called a “syndrome” because the cause is unknown. Although we know that the follicles are overactive and unproductive, we don’t know what causes this activity to take place.

We know that, in a normally-functioning reproductive system, a woman’s ovaries contain all the eggs she will have for her lifetime. These eggs are expressed from puberty to menopause, typically one per month. The mechanism of expression is the follicle, which both grows at the surface of the ovary and issues signaling hormones to let the rest of the body know when an egg is coming.

In a malfunctioning system, more than one follicle develops at a time. The excess of hormones may trigger a ‘defensive’ mechanism in the follicles which prevents their full expression, and thus inhibits overall production of an egg ready for fertilization.

The symptoms of PCOS can be confusing, as they are so diverse. The first indication is a weight gain, despite exercise and proper diet control. Insulin resistance occurs because of a spike in insulin production over a long period of time; the cells of the body receive an oversupply of insulin for so long that they develop an overall resistance, which results in insulin losing its effect to control serum glucose levels and results in a diabetes which needs to be controlled through diet, and sometimes through insulin injections.

Other symptoms can include acne (as a part of the hormonal storm), hair growth, and extremely irregular periods. A woman with PCOS can go for several months with no period, then suddenly have extremely heavy bleeding for a longer-than-usual period of time.

Depression is a common symptom, which may be related to hormone-caused mood swings, or to other underlying causes of the disease. Of course, women who suffer these other symptoms, including infertility, would have reason to feel depressed.

Until recently, few physicians were trained to recognize PCOS. There are now a good deal more articles in the scientific literature on how both to recognize and treat the syndrome.

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John Lonergan is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on  PCOS & Insulin Resistance.

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Tags: estrogen, infertility, insulin resistance, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, type-2-diabetes

Infertility is an issue that 11% of all couples will experience during their reproductive part of their lives. Understanding what some of the causes of female fertility might be for them may help them to deal with their situation.

A fertility specialist should be consulted when females aged 35 or over have been not achieved pregnancy after 6 months. Younger women who have not achieved pregnancy after one year of trying should seek a professional.

In the female there are many causes for infertility, listed are some of them:

Cervical disorders
Endometriosis
Hormonal disorders
Ovulation Failure
Tubal disease or destruction
Uterine disorders

The following is a brief discussion of each cause:

Cervical disorder

This mainly concerns insufficient cervical mucous (CM). The mucous is a necessary part of conception because the sperm are nourished by the CM and also transported by the CM. Another problem that can be determined by examining the CM is when the female is allergic to the male’s sperm and has an allergic reaction to them that actually causes antibodies to be produced that destroy the sperm.

Endometriosis

This is a disease that can cause damage throughout the female body. It is a major cause of infertility because it can attach to the ovaries and to the fallopian tubes. Once attached it grows and can obstruct the ovaries or the tubes.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can affect a woman’s ability to conceive. Women who have PCOS produce an excess amount of a male hormone called “androgens” such as “testosterone” in their ovaries. They often have many small cysts, which are fluid filled on their ovaries. PCOS causes their endometrial lining to become thicker than normal because of the irregular menstrual cycles. Menstruation is when the lining is shed. Without menstruation the lining becomes thicker and thicker with each additional cycle that passes without menstruation.

These women may experience irregular menstrual cycles, acne, suffer infertility and usually struggle with obesity. Women who have PCOS are at a higher risk for type-2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Ovulation Failure

Women who do not release ova (egg) each cycle may have hormonal imbalances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (mouthful isn’t it?). Other causes can be with the thyroid gland, the female having excess body weight, stress, or tumors/cysts. Other contributing factors to ovarian failure can be attributed to eating disorders, alcohol abuse or excessive exercising.

Tubal Disease or Destruction

Sexually transmitted diseases can cause damage to the tubes. Such diseases are: Chlamydia and gonorrhea. The tubes may have also been damaged during previous surgeries such as when an ectopic requires surgery and the tube cannot be saved or is damaged by the ectopic pregnancy. Endometriosis can also damage the tubes.

Uterine disorders

The uterus is the home of the developing baby. The baby needs a nurturing environment that is big enough to allow for the normal growth expected. Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that can happen inside the uterus. Adhesions, which are scar tissue, can develop following multiple cesarean sections. The uterus could also be shaped abnormally or be positioned improperly. Many of the disorders of the uterus can be surgically treated.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Fertility.

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Tags: endometriosis, female fertility, Fertility, infertility, PCOS

PCOS has been until recent years a mysterious scourge of over 10% of women worldwide. PCOS stands for “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.” Break the term down into its constituent parts, and you understand its meaning:

1. Polycystic means the production of more than one cyst on a woman’s ovaries. In general, these cysts are immature, not resulting in the production of an egg, or ovum, which can be fertilized. There are usually many such cysts at one time.
2. Ovarian means that the syndrome is associated with the ovaries. A conclusive diagnosis can be made by laparoscopic examination of the surface of the ovaries. The physician usually finds cysts that are 5 to 7 times larger than a normal ovarian cyst, generally with a white cap over them.
3. Syndrome means that there are several symptoms which combine to help diagnose PCOS. These symptoms range widely, but can include male-pattern hairiness on the face and the rest of the body, infertility, insulin resistance, overweight or obesity, depression and deepening of the voice.

Many women have gone undiagnosed with PCOS for years because of the multiplicity of symptoms. Some symptoms are congruent with obesity, for example, like insulin resistance and release of testosterone, the male hormone. Others have to do with other forms of infertility—many women are discovered to suffer from PCOS when they and their husbands visit infertility clinics.

The underlying causes of PCOS are not yet proven. This is what makes it so difficult, in some cases, to diagnose PCOS without a definitive laparoscopy. One theory is that women who have PCOS have an underproduction of FSH, or Follicle Stimulating Hormone, from their pituitary gland. A low production of FSH can be tied to a lack of maturity of the ovarian cysts, which in turn lead to reduction or elimination of periods, and the production of many cysts at one time.

If true, the underproduction of FSH by the pituitary may be associated with other pituitary abnormalities, again resulting in a number of symptoms which make diagnosis difficult or confusing.

Just as there are several symptoms and explanations for PCOS, there are also several treatments. The exact treatment protocol depends on the woman, the degree to which the syndrome has advanced, and the subsequent damage that has been done to the woman’s body over a period of time.

In some cases, women will take drugs which stimulate the pituitary to produce more FSH. This provides a direct stimulation to the ovarian follicles to mature, which also reduces the number of them and brings a woman back into normal estrus.

In more severe cases, laparoscopic surgery is recommended in order to manually reduce the number of immature follicles on the surface of the ovaries. This reduction will reduce the overproduction of insulin and testosterone, and reverse the processes of insulin resistance and masculinization that accompany this hormone production.

If the woman’s PCOS has been in place for a number of years, additional drugs may be needed to counteract the effects of heavy insulin production, including glucophage and, in some cases, additional insulin.

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John Lonergan is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on PCOS & Insulin Resistance.

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Tags: Depression, diabetes, Fertility, infertility, insulin resistance, obesity