How to repair 

Your PCOS Fertility & Get Pregnant

My whole adult life I believed avoiding pregnancy was the trick and that getting pregnant was as straightforward as the birds and the bees. Boy was I wrong! 

After quitting hormonal birth control I couldn’t even figure where I was in my cycle. I had never been more confused in my life, and I had a medical degree! In this post, I will assist you in figuring out what the heck is going on with your cycle so that you can start repairing your fertility and get pregnant.

Regardless of where you are on this journey to discover what’s going on with your health and fertility let’s start back at the beginning. 

While I help you understand PCOS, answer the questions that your doctor didn’t, or that you didn’t know how to ask about, and help you finally get the proper care you need to heal your PCOS.

Realizing that there may be a problem is the first step. Recognizing that things aren’t going quite right, even if it starts out as a gut feeling. Then it is time to get your hormones checked. 

Even in my early 20’s I had this nagging fear “what if I can’t have kids?” I wanted them so bad, but my husband and I just weren’t ready yet. We were busy working on our professions.

When we started trying, and each month yielded more negative pregnancy tests the panic set in and I finally was seen by my doctor only to be told “you have PCOS and likely won’t be able to have your own children”.

How to get properly diagnosed is discussed in part two, which you can get access to here

No one is more invested or more in tune with your health than you are. Your healthcare practitioners are there to support you and assist you medically but they are limited by the symptoms you can articulate and the treatments that they administer vs what you can do with nutrition and lifestyle. This is why becoming informed and involved with your PCOS is so important 

As you learn to become your own advocate through the PCOS Rx video series workshop you will take back the power of your health and fertility in more ways than one

With irregular periods and an inability to get pregnant you may have PCOS, but the first step is to run tests that both confirm this diagnosis but also rule out other possible causes. 

Wanting to get pregnant is all-consuming. When told by a doctor that it might be difficult or impossible you feel that clock ticking stronger than ever! But take a moment to slow down to get the answers you need! 

PCOS is not a reproductive disorder nor an infertility disorder. Yes, it can create havoc on our fertility but the problem goes a lot deeper. 

Traditionally PCOS infertility treatment only addresses the hormones at the tip of the iceberg. By getting a proper workup and then choosing the best course of treatment we can actually repair our PCOS fertility and the hormones responsible, but we need to get to the root cause instead of just using a bandaid on the surface.

Symptoms such as irregular periods, not ovulating, acne, chin hairs, or thinning to the hair on your scalp arise from reproductive hormonal imbalance. But what caused the reproductive imbalance?

 Insulin is a big factor. You do not need to be diabetic or even insulin resistant to have trouble with insulin. 

Everytime you eat your body releases an exact amount of insulin to match the blood sugar spike caused by the food you just ate. This means that if you are eating refined and processed foods throughout the day your body will be exposed to large amounts of insulin leading to elevated testosterone and LH. 

Cortisol can become elevated with long periods of perceived stress from over exercising, a fast paced, high stress lifestyle, not taking time to unwind etc. Cortisol also increases the insulin effect in the body further worsening the hormone cascade. 

There are many other metabolic hormones, and when they are balanced and working properly your body hums along in great working order. With plenty of energy, a good mood, with easy to manage weight and optimal fertility 

Yes, I’m going to walk you through how to advocate for yourself and all the things you need to know about PCOS, but it comes down to some fine-tuning. And in order to become an expert in your own body, you’re going to need some help and support.

The next step of getting the proper diagnosis is often harder than it should be. We’re going to dive deep into that in the second video because so often I see women getting diagnosed in the most roundabout, lengthy, confusing, and frustrating process possible. It shouldn’t be that hard. 

So here is the take-home point. Don’t just cross your fingers and hope it works. Get to the root cause of your PCOS fertility struggle so that you get pregnant instead of ending up in the infertility cycle of insanity

Your fertility is a complex and beautiful dance. Discover the best treatment options so that when you get your positive pregnancy test you are strong and healthy, 

So that you are physically and emotionally ready to fully enjoy becoming a mama 

Finally have a clear path to your fertility health so that you stop feeling passed around, in the dark and instead feel hopeful and alive again! 

When we know the next step to take then there is a reason to hope again

Take the next step by joining the PCOS Rx video series 

So let’s get started 

You will want to watch this free video series if: 

• You left your doctors office full of unanswered questions
• Your doctor didn’t talk to you about what to eat to support your fertility 
• If you want to get pregnant and are unsure about fertility treatments 
• And if you want to stop feeling lost in the dark of infertility 

Save your seat here

Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy

I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!

You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again! 

Read more about my story of how I healed my infertility and cracked my weight struggle code for good here!

     Follow Ashlene on social media

PCOS Hormone 101 for

Getting Pregnant Naturally

Irregular periods and difficulty conceiving are indicators that you need to get your hormones tested. Hormone testing can be a tricky business as they fluctuate constantly. In this article, you will learn how to properly investigate your hormones to discover the root cause of your period and fertility problems. 

Hormones are the chemical language of your body. They are how your body communicates with itself about safety, needs, emotions and so much more. Each hormone takes its cues from the others, so even the smallest imbalance can create a domino effect of havoc. 

But before this reality causes more stress and raises your cortisol, the stress hormone, let me assure you, we can significantly improve your hormone imbalances in 3 steps!

Test to Discover ~ Determine the Cause ~ Treat to Balance 

Testing and uncovering the imbalances is what we will talk about in this post so let’s dive in!

Irregular cycles often indicate anovulatory cycles, basically, you aren’t ovulating. If you aren’t ovulating then you won’t be able to get pregnant. Don’t panic just yet though because this is not uncommon and there are many treatment options available to restore ovulation. 

The most common cause of female infertility is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, PCOS, which affects at least one out of every ten women. 

If you are concerned that you may have PCOS, or perhaps your doctor thinks you might, based on your signs and symptoms:

• Menstrual irregularities
• Absent period (amenorrhea)
• Heavy menstrual flow (menorrhagia)
• Abnormal mid-cycle bleeding
• Anovulatory cycles (when the ovary doesn’t release an egg)
• Infertility
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Weight gain or obesity (despite healthy eating and active lifestyle)
• Acne (especially back and chest)
• Hirsutism (excessive body hair)
• Hair loss
• History of ovarian cysts
• Estrogen excess symptoms like PMS and fibrocystic breast disease

Then the next step is to get your hormones checked! This step is where a lot of confusion comes in, and not just for you! Evaluating hormones with blood work is not straightforward and even many medical practitioners struggle with this part of the PCOS workup in order to get a proper diagnosis.

The criteria for being diagnosed with PCOS is: 

You must have at least two of the following three symptoms

1. Irregular cycles or anovulatory cycles 
2. Signs of elevated androgens/abnormal 
3. Cystic ovaries 

Once we know both your hormone levels and your symptoms then we can visualize the root cause of your PCOS, hormone imbalance, and infertility so that we can dig into the fertility repair. 

I have worked with too many women who have only had a partial work up or haven’t had blood work done at all.  

Reasons for skipping a proper workup range from unsure when to test because you don’t have a cycle, or because symptoms seem to make the diagnosis obvious making a comprehensive workup “irrelevant”, or because the well-meaning practitioner just isn’t up to date on the best PCOS testing. 

To be clear the guidelines are fuzzy at best and the treatments your doctor will likely recommend are not dependent on the full list of labs that I will discuss below. The reason I recommend a full hormone workup is as follows. 

First, this is your starting point. Sure without a period, or with an irregular cycle it may be difficult to know when to test and you may not get the most accurate information but you will establish a baseline. 

Second, your hormone levels assist in determining your root cause of PCOS. Each person is unique in their hormone profile and why they are struggling to regain and repair their fertility. 

By establishing a baseline picture you can take the proper steps to repair your fertility, and then retest, and monitor your hormones as needed to track your progress. 

The tricky part is getting accurate hormone levels and knowing when to test. I go into this in more detail inside the PCOS Rx Workshop, where I walk you through when to test but also how to interpret your lab values. You will also get a flow chart of the most important hormones and how they relate to the root cause of your PCOS.

Here is a comprehensive list of what you should test and why when you think or have been told you have PCOS.

Luteinizing hormone (LH): Follicle Stimulating Hormone is used to assess infertility problems or irregular menstrual cycles or to diagnose disorders of the pituitary gland or diseases involving the ovaries

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): Luteinizing hormone – it is produced by the pituitary gland. It increases suddenly at ovulation (LH surge) causing the release of an egg from the ovaries.

Free Testosterone: Is more reliable than total testosterone and gives more information about various conditions, including PCOS. PCOS may be suspected in elevated testosterone 

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG): SHBG controls the amount of testosterone that your body can use, and it varies with age.

Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S): An androgen produced only by the adrenals DHEA-S (as opposed to testing just total DHEA) shows the amount of DHEA available in the body

Estrogen (estradiol): Estradiol is a form of estrogen that is tested with blood work. Levels that are either too high or too low could indicate PCOS. 

Cortisol: Cortisol is a steroid hormone released by the adrenal glands when your body perceives stress. Cortisol can be tested with a blood test

Fasting Glucose: Glucose levels are most commonly measured to diagnose diabetes. This level can be within normal limits, however, you still have insulin resistance or you’re on the verge of developing insulin resistance. 

Fasting Insulin: This is a better test than fasting glucose to determine possible insulin resistance. However, even if you are starting to drift towards insulin resistance, the lab level may still be considered normal 

Hemoglobin A1C: similar to a fasting glucose this lab value evaluates your blood sugar, in this case with a rolling average approach which I find more useful 

Fasting Lipid Panel: PCOS increases your risk of heart disease 

Vitamins and nutrient levels: including Vitamin D, B12, Zinc, Magnesium  

CMP: This test gives a glimpse into your basic health including liver, kidneys nutrition, 

CBC: Tests the health of your blood cells. This is less related to PCOS but if you haven’t had blood done in a while is a good thing to include when running labs.

Ferritin: checks your iron levels Some women with PCOS experience heavy bleeding during their period. This can result in iron deficiency anemia.

Androstenedione: An androgen produced by both the ovaries and the adrenals.

17-OHP: 17- Hydroxyprogesterone (also called 17-OH Progesterone).It is a steroid hormone and testing is used to diagnose congenital adrenal hyperplasia (and classical and non- classical). The ACTH stimulation test usually accompanies 17-OHP test if the results are abnormal. Further testing should be discussed with a doctor.

Prolactin: A hormone the increases naturally when you are pregnant as your body prepares to breastfeed. This used to rule out other health concerns besides PCOS. High prolactin does not mean you have PCOS. It is a health issue of its own, and the causes should be investigated!

Thyroid: A full thyroid panel (including the Free T3, Free T4, and TPO) is the best way to assess the thyroid function. Testing only TSH can leave mild conditions and even Hashimoto’s disease undiagnosed.

THS: The first test in evaluating the thyroid but I recommend a full thyroid panel at least once 

Free T3: This is the active thyroid hormone created from the conversion of thyroxine into triiodothyronine. It comes in 3 forms: total, free, and reverse. Free T3 is not bound to protein and considered the active form of triiodothyronine.

Free T4: Is the unbound T4 in the blood, too much or too little could indicate a thyroid disorder. 

TPOAb (Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies): Thyroid antibodies are used to diagnose autoimmune disorders including Hashimoto’s

To learn when to have each test performed for reliable information and what to with the information from your hormone tests join the PCOS Rx workshop! 

Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy

I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!

You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again! 

Read more about my story of how I healed my infertility and cracked my weight struggle code for good here!

Tracking is the First Step to Getting Pregnant with PCOS:

If you have PCOS and are trying to get pregnant, then tracking your cycle is vital! Knowing if and when you are ovulating is the first step to know when it’s time to try to conceive.

Ovulation is the one time during your cycle that you have the chance to get pregnant. PCOS ovulation is often infrequent and without careful tracking is often missed.

When hormones are in balance cycles are usually 28 days long, with day one being the first day of your period. In this case ovulation generally occurs on day 14 of you cycle. Once you ovulate you if you do not conceive that month your period will start 14 days later. If you have irregular cycles or have tried several months without getting pregnant, then it’s time to start tracking.

It is important to note that ovulation occurs prior to a true period. This means that  by the time you get a period you already missed your chance of conceiving until the next erratic time your body has a “real” cycle.

At this point many women turn to ovulation predictor kits (OPKs). OPKs test for LH (Luteinizing Hormone), looking for a sudden spike of this hormone to indicate ovulation. With PCOS, OPKs are usually a waste of money. LH is one of the common hormones that is out of balance. This leads to false positive or inconclusive tests. I find that opks  ultimately lead to confusion, frustration and more stress when trying to conceive.

The Best Way to Track Your Cycle with PCOS

So what is the best way to track your cycle and maximize your chances of conceiving?

Tracking your basal body temperature, BBT, is the best way to get in touch with your cycle and your fertility.

You can learn more about how to track your BBT here.

I also recommend keeping tabs on your cervical mucus. This method is not as accurate as BBT. PCOS cervical mucus can appear fertile throughout the month. with no correlation to ovulation.

BBT will alert you to ovulation pretty much as it is occurring where as cervical mucus gives you a bit more warning.

Cervical mucus can be either, absent, wet, white or the consistency of egg whites. The egg white consistency mucus is what you are looking for to indicate ovulation is approaching or occurring.

Emotional health is the reason I love OvuSense. Not only is it a clinically proven fertility and ovulation monitor designed to detect your 8-Day fertile window. But OvuSense tracks your core temperature while you sleep. No more waking up at the right time to record your BBT and add your temperature to an app. instead you can place the sensor each night and only check your data periodically. Being able to step away from the numbers, in and of itself, is therapeutic for repairing your fertility.

In Conclusion 

Track your basal body temperature each morning. (you can check out the exact steps to do that here)

Also, track your cervical mucus and your periods even if they are irregular

Combining this information will provide insight into what is happening with your fertility. Then we can adjust treatment as needed to improve your chances of pregnancy each month.

Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy

I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!

You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again! 

Read more about my story of how I healed my infertility and cracked my weight struggle code for good here!

Tracking Basal Body Temperature

To Pinpoint Your Fertile Window

What is your basal body temperate? Your basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s lowest daily temperature. And it occurs after at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. In women, your BBT rises and falls with your hormones allowing you to track your cycle and fertility. 

Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and goes until your next period starts. Your temperature will be the lowest during the first half of your cycle. Then at the time of ovulation we see a dip and spike followed by the second half of your cycle showing at least a half of degree higher temperate.

About 8 months into our journey to get pregnant with our first, my husband and I had planned a winter getaway

First, you will need:

A thermometer that measures temperature to at least 2 decimal places

And a method of recording your temperature. This can be a paper charting system, an app on your phone, or a more robust method such as OvuSense which I will discuss more below.

If you choose to use an app you will want one that creates a graph of your temperature. Here are a few I recommend.

Ovia Fertility App 

Glow Fertility Tracking 

Premom Ovulation Calculator  (This app has the option of a BBT that will sync via Bluetooth)

Fertility Friend FF App

Once you have gotten your thermometer and chosen your method of tracking you are ready to get started.

How to take your BBT

Take your temperature each morning at the same time. Be sure to measure your temperate to at least 2 decimal places. The fluctuations in temperature are so slight you need to take your temperature first thing before getting up or moving around. Also you need to be consistent about the time you take your temperature. If you wake up at 6 am during the week but sleep in a little on the weekends. Then you will want to set an alarm take and record your temperature at 6 am and then you can go back to sleep.

If this sounds like a pain in the neck, well it kind of is. That is why I recommend and many women opt for OvuSense. OvuSense works by recording your core temperature at night while you sleep.

OvuSense is a clinically proven fertility and ovulation monitor that uses your unique Core Body Temperature data to give you an 8-day fertile window with 24 hours advanced prediction of ovulation. Designed for your complete fertility journey, from knowing the best time to conceive right through to tracking the effect of medication if you need it. 

Connivance aside, I encourage you to consider OvuSense is for your emotional well-being. Struggling to conceive is emotional and stressful along with many other emotions. being able to step away from the numbers and data on a daily basis can in and of itself promote healing.

If you would like even more help and guidance to decipher what’s going on with your cycle head over to the PCOS Society Facebook Group and post your questions there!

Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy

I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!

You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again! 

Read more about my story of how I healed my infertility and cracked my weight struggle code for good here!