Getting pregnant naturally with PCOS – Your nutrition and supplement questions in the spotlight
If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (aka PCOS) and you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s likely you’ve heard some very mixed messages about what’s possible.
In our recent community poll over on IG, 25% of you said you’d been told getting pregnant naturally with PCOS is unlikely, while 75% of you said you’d heard conflicting advice, and weren’t sure what to believe.
Whether you’re just starting out, or if you’ve been trying to conceive (TTC) for a little while, we know that hearsay can get old, fast. Real support that fits into real life is the name of the game, and this is something that the team behind Proceive®, the award-winning range of tailored fertility and pregnancy supplements, are also very aware of.
Proceive® is one of the UK and Ireland’s fastest growing fertility supplement brands, trusted by healthcare professionals and stocked nationwide in Boots and Holland & Barrett.
Fertility is complex, and Proceive® was developed to meet that complexity with precision, from the Proceive® Max collection to Proceive® Pure Myo-Inositol – the very latest in their range for those seeking additional support.
With this in mind and their team’s expert perspective, let’s dive into what PCOS means for fertility and natural conception, and some actionable steps you can take to support it through diet, supplementation and lifestyle.
Can you get pregnant with PCOS? Yes, it’s possible
One of the most common questions we see is: can you get pregnant with PCOS? The short answer is yes. Many people with PCOS do conceive, including without fertility treatment.
The idea that there is a single “PCOS natural pregnancy success rate” isn’t quite right. PCOS presents differently for everyone, but we do know that it can disrupt the hormones that trigger the release of an egg, making ovulation inconsistent or difficult to predict.
This is why so much of the conversation around PCOS and fertility nutrition focuses on ovulation support, alongside other ‘baseline’ female fertility factors.
Key levers for getting pregnant with PCOS naturally
Getting specific, when it comes to getting pregnant with PCOS you told us that ovulation is the single biggest challenge.
When asked what felt hardest, 100% of you said tracking ovulation, and when we asked you whether you know when they ovulate, 75% of you said no. Irregular cycles do not mean ovulation never happens, though.
Many women with PCOS do ovulate, just not on a predictable timeline. That unpredictability makes traditional tracking methods frustrating and often unreliable, so this is where we’ll look to put aside the more textbook approaches, and start to look deeper into the details.
One common reason ovulation can be disrupted in PCOS is insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that helps move sugar from your bloodstream into your cells. When the body becomes less responsive to insulin, it produces more of it. Higher insulin levels have been showed to interfere with ovarian hormone signalling, which can delay or suppress ovulation.
Another potential challenge is egg quality. We see these concerns cropping up within our community on the reg, with some research suggesting that egg quality may be lower in women with PCOS, compared to women without, although other studies pose that there might not be a significant difference.
But what can we do ourselves, at home, to make sure we’re getting the right support across these potential challenges?
Eat well, and nourish right
With nutrition in the spotlight, dietary support for PCOS can be an incredibly helpful and proactive way to support fertility if you’re trying to conceive (TTC).
The goal? Getting the right nutrients in the right amounts, plus maintaining steady blood sugar and consistency.
Dietary tweaks to try:
Simple, realistic changes include:
- Eating regularly – Avoid fasting and skipping meals.
- Pairing carbohydrates with protein and fibre – Protein and fibre slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream, helping support more stable insulin levels.
- Going for lean proteins – Eggs, chicken, turkey and lentils to help you feel full.
- Choosing high, healthy fibre – Think non-starchy vegetables, like kale, spinach, broccoli, peppers and whole grains.
- Minimise refined sugar – Limit white bread, sweet snacks and sugary drinks.
- Incorporating high-dose, high-quality supplementation
Where supplements fit in:
Food is foundational, but supplementation can help ensure you’re checking all the boxes.
When we asked you about your biggest fertility supplement questions, 33% wanted to know “Which ones actually support TTC?”
There’s a reason so many women reach for the Proceive® Max Women.
Proceive® Max Women delivers 33 scientifically selected nutrients including amino acids not typically found in standard fertility vitamins, at levels designed to support fertility, not just general health. This includes 400µg of folic acid in the L-Methylfolate form, chosen for its absorbability.
Unlike general prenatal supplements, Proceive® Max Women was developed specifically for the preconception window – the critical 90 days where egg development occurs. That focus on fertility, rather than pregnancy alone, is what sets it apart.
With a focus on egg health, Proceive® Max also fuels the whole reproductive system*. Think:
- Egg quality
- Energy support
- Cell division
- Hormone regulation
So for people with PCOS, this is an excellent baseline, but going further than just the text book approach means you’ll know you’re getting a little extra support.
Why Myo-Inositol?
Half of you told us you’d never heard of Myo-Inositol before, but it’s one of the most frequently mentioned supplements in PCOS discussions, and for good reason.
Myo-Inositol is a naturally occurring compound found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. It plays an important role in insulin signalling and ovarian function, and is the most biologically active form of inositol.
It’s not a cure and not a guarantee, but it can be a helpful piece of a broader fertility plan.
Proceive® Pure Myo-Inositol benefits include:
- Simple and convenient to take
- Highly bioavailable for maximum absorption
- No fillers or binders
Recommended daily dose: 4,000mg. It can also be taken alongside a multivitamin like Proceive® Max, making it flexible for broader nutritional support.*
Finally, pair with the lifestyle tweaks that fit you
In response to our poll, 67% of you said you were ‘still figuring out’ the lifestyle support options that work for you, on your PCOS TTC journey.
Alongside diet and supplementation, these pillars can help build up your supportive foundation even more:
- Sleep – Regular sleep and wake times support hormone regulation and insulin sensitivity. Peep our hormonal insomnia 101 here, for more helpful detail.
- Gentle movement – Walking, yoga, swimming or light strength training can support whole-body health, strength and blood sugar balance.
- Mental health & nervous system support – Chronic stress affects hormone signalling. Small changes like breathing exercises, time outdoors or less screen time can help.
- Cycle awareness – Watching patterns over time (not perfect ovulation dates) can help you understand how your body behaves, and adjust accordingly. Want more insight? Read our dive into how to increase ovulation naturally for helpful tips.
Whilst there’s no magic switch with PCOS, at the very least, these tweaks might just help you feel a little more grounded, knowing you’re doing what you can to support your body.
Want to try Proceive® for yourself? You can use code RIBBONBOX20 for 20% off when you shop the range on proceive.com only.
Proceive® is also available in-store at Holland & Barrett and Boots, and online from Amazon.
*These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
