Could you have polycystic ovary syndrome?

Around twenty percent of women have polycystic ovaries, but most of us won't ever be aware of the fact and they won't affect our lives. Tiny cysts are found on the ovaries, which are actually undeveloped follicles. Polycystic ovaries won't necessarily affect your fertility, but sometimes when they are accompanied by other symptoms, they can indicate polycystic ovary syndrome, a common cause of female fertility problems.

There are a number of signs to look out for which could indicate that you may have polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. Women with PCOS usually have irregular, infrequent or absent periods. About a third of those with PCOS are overweight, although it is perfectly possible to have the syndrome and to be very slim. Women who have the eating disorder bulimia seem to have a higher risk of having PCOS, too.

Women with PCOS may have difficulty getting pregnant, or have had miscarriages. Some women have other signs, such as unwanted facial or body hair, and oily skin or acne. Women may also find that they lose hair from their scalp, or have thining hair. There are often hormonal imbalances which can be checked by a blood test. Women who have PCOS sometimes suffer from depression and mood changes.

You can find out more about polycystic ovary syndrome by contacting the support group Verity

IVM - is it for you ?

Anyone with an interest in fertility is likely to have heard the recent news about the first babies born in the UK after a new type of treatment called in vitro maturation, or IVM. The glowing newspaper reports on the subject suggested IVM was about to revolutionise fertility treatment. Cheaper than IVF, less invasive and less risky, it sounded the perfect solution and patients could be forgiven for rushing off to their clinics to demand it immediately. The reality is that IVM is not yet widely available, and is not suitable for everyone anyway.

IVM doesn't use drugs to get women to produce lots of eggs. Instead, it involves taking immature eggs straight from the ovaries, maturing them in the laboratory, and then injecting them with sperm. The technique relies on women having lots of immature eggs, and success rates are low for anyone with normal ovaries who is unlikely to have sufficient quantities to make it worthwhile. IVM is most suitable for younger women with polycystic ovaries because they tend to have an abundance of immature eggs, but even then, success rates are not particularly high at between 20 and 30%.

IVM is a relatively new technique, which has only produced 400 babies worldwide so far, and at the moment only one clinic in the UK is licensed to carry it out. It is cheaper than IVF because you're not using any drugs to stimulate the ovaries, so you save on the hefty drugs bill. It also cuts out the risk of hyperstimulation, which is a particular danger for women who have polycystic ovaries when they take the stimulating drugs.

IVM is undoubtedly an exciting step forward in reproductive medicine, but the revolution the news reports may have led us to expect is still some time away.