PCOS-related Infertility:Does ART hurt or help the next generation?

[Polly]

PCOS is thought to be a genetically inherited condition. If a woman who has PCOS, is experincing infertility, and has tried losing weight, dieting, exercise, Metformin and other drugs, finally has a successful pregnancy, do you think that there will be a high probability that any of her female offspring may have exactly the same thing happen? What does this mean, in the biological sense? That certain PCOS women are not meant to reproduce?

Polly

[Erika]

I used to wonder about this when I was trying for Sasha. I had fleeting notions that maybe there was a reason why I couldn't conceive and that maybe it was better that I didn't pass on my condition.

However, I don't buy that anymore. Just because I have PCOS doesn't mean my daughter will have it. And it isn't the worst fertility problem to have. Not to mention, I can show her how to avoide triggering PCOS.

And really, so many people who do conceive have the potentional to pass on many syndromes and diseases. If someone has sight or hearing problems, should they conceive? If someone has severe obesity issues or diabetes should they conceive? What if you have suffered breast cancer? Or if your mother has had breast cancer?

In the end, science and medicine are helping to take away the seriousness of some of these issues. And, going back to PCOS again, if exercise and diet, with a little help from metformin leads to pregnancy, it also leads to better health. And that is something you can also pass on to your offspring.

[Beka]

No, for the simple reason I have PCOS and yet I produced a female off spring prior to having any awareness of having the condition, or needing any assistance to conceive. I then went on to have assistance and had my eldest son, then another spontaneous pregnancy resulting in my second girl. Strict dietary control led to my second son.

My spontaneously conceived eldest daughter stands as much chance of having it as my assisted conception son has of being a carrier and passing it on to his children, even if I'd not have had any treatments I'd still have produced DD1, thus potentially carrying this genetic flaw into the next generation.

Also being a genetic trait I inherited it from my fathers side, my nan (who is the assumed pcoser who resulted in my aunt, myself and several of my cousins having pcos) had 5 children in an age when assisted conception just didn't exist.

[Erika]

That is a good point Beka. I suspect that my maternal grandmother had PCOS (and my mother and aunt) and yet all 3 produced offspring. and some times quite alot.

Thinking about this even more, if I wasn't going to conceive based on genetic conditions, PCOS wouldn't be the reason. I would be more concerned about passing on my blood clotting disorder (which is genetic) than the PCOS. And only time will tell with either. But both are manageable.

[Polly]

I think my paternal grandmother had it-she menopaused at 36. However, it was after she had 6 children. (My dad is the oldest.) It's interesting, I have several cousins on that side who were diagnosed after having children; infertility does not yet seem to be a problem with my family and PCOS. We have babies and get big. Uh...really big. And we stay that way, forever.

BTW-my cousins were diagnosed because I told them I had it. (All of my cousins with it had their first child much younger than I did-usually by 5 years.) Most now control their weight with metformin/levoxyl, diet and exercise.

For the record, I think ART is a wonderful thing. My hat is off to whomever decides to try it.

Polly