Women with PCOS often experience difficulty becoming pregnant. In PCOS both ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary) and the development of the endometrium are abnormal. Normal fertility requires that the ovary release an egg or ovum, which can be fertilized by the male sperm. After fertilization, the developing embryo must enter the uterus where the endometrium is appropriately developed to allow for the pregnancy to continue.

Women with PCOS do not ovulate in a normal fashion, and as a result their endometrium is not properly developed. It is important to remember that not all infertile women have PCOS. There are many causes of infertility, of which PCOS is only one.

It is also important to remember that women with PCOS can become pregnant, in some cases naturally and in other cases with the help of medications or assisted reproductive technologies. Just because a woman has PCOS does not mean that she cannot become pregnant on her own.

The diagnosis of PCOS does not mean a lifetime of sterility. With appropriate treatment women with PCOS can become pregnant and deliver healthy babies.