Can I get pregnant with PCOS?
Medically reviewed by Dr. Om J Lakhani on 18 Oct 2026 · Updated 18 Oct 2026
Short answer
Yes, most women with PCOS can get pregnant, either naturally or with simple fertility treatment. PCOS makes ovulation irregular, so it may take longer, and getting fit before pregnancy, checking your sugar and treating any thyroid problem all improve your chances. If you have very irregular periods, or have been trying for six to twelve months without success, see your doctor, who may discuss ovulation medicines such as letrozole.
Being told you have PCOS often brings an immediate fear: “Will I be able to have children?” For most women, the answer is reassuring. PCOS is one of the most treatable causes of difficulty getting pregnant.
Why can PCOS make pregnancy harder?
To get pregnant, an egg needs to be released (ovulation). In PCOS, hormone and insulin changes mean the ovaries often do not release an egg every month. Fewer ovulations mean fewer chances each year, so it can take longer. Your eggs are not “bad”, and having many follicles on a scan does not mean you are infertile. Read what is PCOS.
What helps before trying?
- Weight and lifestyle. If you are overweight, losing even 5% to 10% of body weight can restart ovulation in some women. Read PCOS, weight and metabolic health.
- Check your sugar and blood pressure. The 2023 guideline advises a sugar test before pregnancy because PCOS raises the risk of gestational diabetes.
- Folic acid before conception, as your doctor advises.
- Thyroid and prolactin tests, and treatment if abnormal.
- Review your medicines. Your doctor will advise whether and when to stop any medicine, including weight-loss injections, before you try.
- Stop smoking and avoid alcohol.
What fertility treatments are used?
If ovulation does not happen on its own, your doctor may discuss:
- Letrozole, now the first-choice tablet to trigger ovulation in PCOS. In a large trial, it led to more live births than the older medicine clomiphene.
- Clomiphene, sometimes with metformin.
- Metformin, which may help ovulation in some women, though it is less effective than letrozole alone. Read metformin in pregnancy.
- Gonadotropin injections or ovarian drilling surgery, when tablets do not work.
- IVF, if other treatments fail or there are other fertility factors.
These treatments need monitoring, often with ultrasound, to reduce the risk of twins and ovarian over-stimulation. They should only be used under a fertility specialist or your doctor’s supervision.
If you are not planning a pregnancy now, PCOS does not mean you cannot get pregnant, so you still need contraception. Read does PCOS go away after marriage or pregnancy.
Read the full guide: What is PCOS, and why is it being renamed PMOS?
When to see an endocrinologist
- You have been trying for a year without success, or six months if you are over 35 or your periods are very irregular
- Very infrequent periods, such as fewer than eight a year, while planning a pregnancy
- You are on a GLP-1 medicine, statin or other long-term medicine and planning a pregnancy: ask your doctor before trying
- Severe belly pain, swelling or breathlessness during fertility treatment: seek medical care immediately
Chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness or confusion: call 108 or 112, or go to the nearest emergency department.
Book In-Person / Online ConsultationReferences
- Teede HJ et al. Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023 (PMID 37580314)
- Legro RS et al. Letrozole versus clomiphene for infertility in the polycystic ovary syndrome. N Engl J Med 2014 (PMID 25006718)
This page is general health information and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor. Please read our medical disclaimer.