Irregular periods & infertility: View of infertility clinic expert

Published On - November 2, 2022

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Can irregular periods cause infertility? Answers an expert of the best infertility clinic

According to an expert at the best infertility clinic in Kolkata, female infertility has become a rather common condition. One of the main causes of infertility is ovulation defects resulting in irregular periods. Having irregular periods, no periods, or abnormal bleeding indicate that you are not ovulating properly and can lead to infertility.

Ovulation disorders affect around 25% of the women and cause infertility. PCOS accounts for 70% of all such cases.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects many women in their reproductive age and can cause irregular periods along with other problems. It is one of the most common but treatable causes of infertility in women, says an expert at the best infertility clinic in Kolkata.

An expert of an infertility clinic discusses Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that might be affecting your fertility

Fertility in women depends upon the ovaries releasing healthy eggs to the fallopian tube to get fertilized with the sperm.

1. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects how women’s ovaries work. PCOS caused by a hormonal imbalance which causes the ovaries to become large or get covered with many fluid filled sacs (cysts) that surround the eggs. These underdeveloped sacs often fail to release eggs resulting in anovulation.
2. Obesity or weight gain which is associated with many cases of PCOS is also a factor of infertility. If your BMI is above 29.4, you have a higher risk of infertility.

If you have frequent irregular periods, you must visit the best infertility evaluation treatment centre and know the underlying cause of your irregular period to prevent infertility in future.

Common treatments for menstrual irregularities associated with infertility: Explains an expert of best infertility clinic

Treatment depends upon their cause, age and how long you are facing the disorder. Some of the common treatments for irregular periods are:

1. Weight Loss is perhaps the biggest starting point.  A reduction in weight of as little as 5% from initial body weight in overweight infertile women with PCOS by reduced energy intake of 30% per day or walk of minimum of 150 min per week can be very useful .
2. Ovulation induction is one of the most effective treatments for women with PCOS. The most medicines used in ovulation induction are as follows:

• Letrozole ( Aromatase inhibitors): It is the most used medicine for ovulation induction and is associated with high live birth rates and low risk of multiple pregnancies.
• Clomiphene citrate (a selective estrogen receptor modulator – SERM): It was the first choice of treatment for ovulation induction. However, current evidence based studies consider it as second-line therapy.

1. If ovulation still does not occur, resistant PCOS should be suspected. If the patient is CC resistant, CC combined with metforminor inositol may improve clinical pregnancy and ovulation rate.
2. For women with anovulatory fertility, who are resistant to pharmaceutical treatment, a surgical procedure known as laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD), may be an option for ovulation induction. It is a less invasive procedure.

Some of the other treatment options for anovulatory infertility are:

1. Bariatric surgery: It is the most effective way for weight loss. It reduces PCOS associated clinical symptomatology such as menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, and, possibly, infertility.
2. Gonadotropin therapy: It continues to be the most recommended second line option for women who have not responded to first line oral ovulation induction therapy with tablets. Addition of metformin to gonadotropin stimulation improves ovulation, pregnancy and live birth rates as per international guidelines.
3. Folliculometry: It is a procedure involving ultrasound examinations to measure the follicle development. It should be performed after 4 to 5 days of treatment and at subsequent intervals of 1 to 3 days according to patients’ response.
4. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART): ART technologies like IVF and ICSI are considered as the third line of treatment for women with anovulatory infertility or in the presence of other infertility factors like blocked tube or bad sperms. Metformin treatment before and during the ART cycle may be considered for women with PCOS to reduce OHSS rates in ART treatment.

Conclusion

If you have irregular periods and willing to conceive soon, do not panic. Seek advice from the best infertility solution clinic in Kolkata and get an effective treatment.