PCOS Review Newsletter #11

Natural Health Ideas for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
A free monthly newsletter for women with ovarian cysts or PCOS.

Issue #011      February 23, 2004
Nancy Dunne, N.D., Naturopathic Physician
Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Progesterone, "Estrogen Dominance" and PCOS

2) Outcomes Worse for Single IVF Births

3) Psychotherapy, Hypnosis May Bring Period Back

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1) "Estrogen Dominance" and PCOS

Low progesterone production contributes to "estrogen dominance", a primary feature of PCOS and a contributor to infertility as well as a host of other health problems. We've put some information about this topic on our website so you'll have a better grasp of how important the low progesterone - high estrogen issue is. Please take a look.

www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/progesterone.html

www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/estrogen-dominance.html

We'll soon be adding more information about the types of progesterone and progesterone treatment options, including progesterone cream.

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2) Outcomes Worse for Single IVF Births

Many women with PCOS are resorting to IVF (in vitro fertilization) or other assisted reproduction in order to become pregnant.

A study published in the British Medical Journal in January found that single pregnancies resulting from assisted conception such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) have worse outcomes than those achieved without assistance, according to Dutch researchers who reviewed 25 studies on birth outcomes after assisted conception.

They reported that in studies with matched controls, babies born after assisted conception were three times more likely to be born very preterm (before 32 weeks), and twice as likely to be preterm (less than 37 weeks).

Similarly, such babies were three times more likely to weigh less than 1500 grams at birth, and had almost twice the odds of weighing less than 2500 grams.

Children born after assisted conception were also more likely to be delivered via caesarean and to require intensive care after birth. Those children were also 68% more likely to die around the time of birth.

Lead researcher Dr. Frans Helmerhorst said that the emphasis of assisted reproduction should shift further away from simply achieving a pregnancy to achieving a successful outcome. "In this case, the product is a healthy baby, not just a baby or a pregnancy."

Our Comment: There are a variety of natural methods for you to increase your fertility and become pregnant. Most licensed naturopathic physicians are skilled in these methods. You can find one near you at:

www.naturopathic.org

Or, have Dr. Dunne help you. She is a licensed naturopathic physician who is experienced in PCOS and fertility issues.

Source: British Medical Journal Online First publication, 2004 (www.bmj.com)

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3) Psychotherapy, Hypnosis May Bring Period Back

Lack of a regular period and inability to become pregnant is one of the most distressing aspects of PCOS. Many resort to hormone therapy or strong drugs in an attempt to restore normal ovarian function and become fertile. However, drugs are not the entire answer.

What you think and feel, and how you behave, also influences your hormonal cycle, according to two recent studies.

In one small study, 75% of women got their period back after undergoing a cycle of counseling sessions. And in a second, more preliminary study, 75% of women who underwent hypnosis also started menstruating.

The first study, at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, set out to see whether several months of cognitive behavior therapy would help women start menstruating again. The researchers screened out women who were depressed, had eating disorders, were underweight or who exercised more than 10 hours a week.

After screening, the women remaining in the study were still more likely than the average woman to be perfectionists and to have a great need for social approval. They also tended to have less healthy attitudes toward eating.

Previous research has shown that unhealthy attitudes toward eating and weight can suppress hormones that are necessary for ovulation. By targeting these unhealthy attitudes through therapy, the researchers hoped to reverse the suppression of this hormone activity.

In the study, eight women were randomly assigned to undergo 16 therapy sessions in which they were encouraged to develop healthier attitudes toward eating and weight. The other eight women in the study did not receive any counseling.

Of the eight women who underwent counseling, six began menstruating again. In contrast, just one of the women who did not receive counseling got her period back completely.

In the second study, at the University of Vienna in Austria, researchers note that while psychological counseling can be helpful for women who have stopped menstruating, this treatment is "time consuming and relatively expensive." They suggest that hypnosis may offer a one-shot solution to the problem for some women.

In a pilot study involving 12 women with amenorrhea, nine resumed menstruation within 12 weeks after a single session of hypnotherapy. In addition, women reported a better sense of well-being and increased self-confidence.

Hypnosis may work by allowing women to regain the "forgotten knowledge" of the capacity to menstruate on a regular basis, according to the researchers. Despite the promising results of the study, they cautioned that the results are preliminary. The study did not include a "control" group of women who did not receive hypnosis.

Our Comment: Your mental and emotional health is a vitally important but overlooked factor in managing PCOS and infertility. We suggest you consider getting therapy, or joining a PCOS support group in your area. Also, stress management is key to your recovery. As we say in our web page on Progesterone, stress impairs progesterone activity. Impaired progesterone is a one reason why you have PCOS and have fertility problems.

Source: Fertility and Sterility, October 2003.

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