PCOS and starting IVF....any advice?

Hello! I have PCOS too, and I’ve gone through 1 IUI, 2 IVF cycles and 2 FETs. 💖 I would say that, generally, women with PCOS tend to have more eggs retrieved. However, I personally didn’t have as many eggs retrieved compared to some other women with PCOS. I do think the stimulation injections and how the dosage is managed before egg retrieval are really important, especially when it comes to reducing the risk of OHSS. But honestly, I’ve come to realise that quality is definitely more important than quantity! 🥰 Most importantly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Try not to let the IVF journey consume you or make you lose yourself along the way. I truly believe that taking care of your mental and emotional well-being can indirectly help you through the process too. Wishing you all the very best for your IVF cycle! I really hope everything goes smoothly for you and that you get your successful outcome soon. 💖✨

I’m still in the middle of my IVF journey, so honestly, it hasn’t been easy. I have PCOS and there are so many things running through my mind, especially wondering if the treatment will actually work. I’m doing my IVF with Dr Kelly Loi, an IVF doctor in Singapore. We’ve already gone through the egg retrieval, and thankfully they were able to retrieve some eggs, which gave me a little hope. But I’m still waiting to see how things progress, and there are definitely days when I feel discouraged and wonder if it will work for us. I’m trying not to focus too much on success rates because I know everyone responds differently. For now, I’m just taking it one step at a time and trying to stay hopeful. It’s been a difficult journey, but knowing that we have some eggs retrieved makes me want to keep going. 🤍

It's totally normal to feel nervous before starting, and honestly the emotional rollercoaster is real so just know that going in. I'd say lean on your fertility specialist for the medical side since PCOS responses can vary so much from person to person, but on the emotional side, try to build in some support whether that's your partner, close friends, or even a counselor because the wait between each stage can feel really long. One thing a friend with PCOS mentioned was that she wished she'd been gentler with herself during the cycle instead of putting so much pressure on the outcome, and that helped her stress levels. Wishing you all the best with your cycle.

Wishing you the very best on your IVF journey; take it one step at a time, communicate openly with your fertility team about your body's response, and remember to be gentle with yourself through all the emotional ups and downs.