My wife has pcos

My wife has Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and has been on Clomid for more than 3 years now without any success of getting pregnant. We urgently need a baby and the doctors recommended IVF but we have no money for it now. What advice can you give us? The issue is tearing us apart.

Henry (by SMS)

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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects a woman’s hormone levels. Women with PCOS produce higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones. This hormone imbalance causes them to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant. PCOS also causes hair growth on the face and body, and baldness. And it can contribute to long-term health problems like diabetes and heart disease. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes PCOS. They believe that high levels of male hormones prevent the ovaries from producing hormones and making eggs normally. Genes, insulin resistance, and inflammation have all been linked to excess androgen production. Studies show that PCOS runs in families. Although your wife can get pregnant using fertility treatments that improve ovulation, losing weight and lowering blood sugar levels can improve her odds of having a healthy pregnancy.  Surgery by specialist doctors can also be an option to improve fertility if other treatments don’t work or you don’t have enough money for IVF.  This is done through a procedure known as Ovarian drilling where tiny holes are made into the ovary with a laser or thin heated needle to restore normal ovulation.