PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a complex infertility condition for people with ovaries in their childbearing years. A 2015 study even defined it as “the most common cause of anovulatory infertility” (when the ovaries fail to release an egg for ovulation).
In PCOS, the ovaries sport many partially formed follicles. Each follicle contains an egg that rarely grows to maturity or doesn’t produce eggs that can be fertilized. As you can imagine, this dampens your chances of pregnancy.
To learn more about how PCOS affects fertility, check out our blog post here.
But can you conceive naturally with PCOS? Good news: It might be trickier but not impossible.
Case in point: Gina* struggles with mild PCOS and have managed to get pregnant with the twoplus Sperm Guide without going for IVF (in-vitro fertilization).
Despite experiencing stress and disappointment from negative pregnancy results month after month for the past two years, Gina stayed patient, open-minded, and resilient by continuously looking out for alternative options to aid her TTC journey.
Inspired by the founder’s story and the novel design of the twoplus Sperm Guide, Gina took a leap of faith with this at-home conception aid before resorting to costly and invasive procedures like IVF and IUI (intrauterine insemination).
Read on to learn more about Gina’s personal journey to parenthood.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not intended as medical advice.
*Name was changed to protect privacy.
Gina Shares Her TTC Story With twoplus
Interview responses were edited for clarity.
Q: Hi, Gina! Tell us a bit about yourself! How old are you and your partner?
A: We are both 33 this year.
Q: Congratulations on getting pregnant on your second try with the Sperm Guide! Did you adopt any lifestyle changes to improve your odds of conceiving?
A: I have always been rather active and generally have a balanced diet, so no huge changes, but I had to cut down on sugar due to PCOS. So, no bubble tea. Also TCM always advocates keeping the womb warm, so no cold drinks too.
Q: You’ve previously mentioned that you combined the Sperm Guide with medication. Could you share what medication you took and what were some of your fertility struggles before the pregnancy?
A: I did the usual fertility tests including blood tests/thyroid tests/hormonal tests/scans etc. I was diagnosed with a milder case of PCOS hence I was on Metformin coupled with an ovulation medication (I was on the 2nd round of the ovulation pills).
We have been TTC for the past ~2 years without any good news and there were countless disappointments month after month. It didn't help with the situation that work was stressful as well*.
*A note from twoplus: If you, like Gina, are feeling overwhelmed on your conception journey, here are 8 Ways To Keep Your Mental Health In Check While Trying To Conceive.
Q: Besides medication, what have you tried in your TTC journey before using twoplus Fertility?
A: We started with the first gynaecologist who prescribed me Metformin for about a year. They ran countless blood tests and said that I wasn't ovulating, but my ovulation tests said otherwise.
We switched to a fertility doctor for a 2nd opinion, but he was very pro-IVF and we weren’t ready for it.
Then, we used TCM [Traditional Chinese Medicine], which had minimal results until I went to my current gynaecologist through a friend's recommendation who has PCOS as well.
We have always wanted kids but we wanted to enjoy some couple time (2 yrs) until we are ready to conceive, and COVID-19 also put off conceiving plans for us. We started trying until we felt ready for this responsibility, mentally and financially*.
*A note from twoplus: In need of financial tips to plan your pre-pregnancy budget? Check out our guide on all things money-related to conception.
Q: What led you to purchase the Sperm Guide?
A: Being frustrated with our futile attempts in our TTC journey, we were ready to try anything that helps.
I came across the ad on IG, and thought why not give this a try, since it is true that we often face sperm leakages after intercourse. I thought it was a rather novel invention and I was inspired by the founder's story too!
Q: Is this your first successful pregnancy?
A: Yes it's our first pregnancy, and we are really excited!
Q: What did you like/dislike about the Sperm Guide?
A: There's nothing I dislike about it. It was easy to use and didn't cause any discomfort at all. It was super secure too once inserted, and it works like wonders! I had no troubles at all.
Q: Would you recommend the Sperm Guide to other people who may have difficulties with natural conception?
A: Of course, in a heartbeat!
Q: If you could go back to the beginning of your TTC journey, what would you have done differently? Also, what would you suggest to other couples who are TTC?
A: I would encourage young couples who wish to have kids to go for fertility tests early, and work out their timeline from there. If we had known that conceiving was not really that easy, we would probably have tried earlier.
To other couples who have been trying, I would encourage them to give twoplus products a try as I find it really effective since I got pregnant on my second try in 1 ovulation cycle!
We were considering IVF, which is really costly should we choose the private route hence, this is a very small investment to try rather than going for the extreme spectrum.
PCOS Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Get Pregnant
The twoplus Sperm Guide is an at-home conception aid to help reduce semen backflow after sex.
There is plenty that you can do at home to keep PCOS symptoms at bay including healthy lifestyle choices to boost your chances of pregnancy.
If you have PCOS and have been trying to conceive for months, or even years like Gina, let the twoplus Sperm Guide support you on your conception journey.
Did you love reading about other people's success stories when trying to conceive? If you wish to share your experience of getting pregnant after using twoplus' products, share your story via this form. Bonus: You'll be rewarded for your efforts!