Fertility Treatment for Hyperandrogenism
If you or a loved one have ever struggled with some form of infertility, you know it can be a frustrating experience filled with a host of emotions, including, anger, sadness, depression, and even anxiety. Often, people who have struggled to conceive after a certain amount of years are unsure of what steps to take next. Dr. Sonja B. Kristiansen is dedicated to helping patients in the Houston, TX area receive the personalized care and attention they need to start their family.
At Houston Fertility Center, we perform comprehensive fertility testing to determine the underlying issue of your infertility in order to provide customized care. In addition to testing, we also provide a wide range of fertility services, including fertility treatment for hyperandrogenism.
What Is Hyperandrogenism?
Hyperandrogenism is a term used to describe women who have an excess of male hormones in their body. This often leads to oily skin, acne, excessive hair growth, and ovulation disorders. One of the primary causes of hyperandrogenism is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the development of cysts on the ovaries as a result of malfunctioning ovarian follicles.
Women who have PCOS may have difficulty ovulating and menstruating regularly, making it challenging to conceive naturally. Patients diagnosed with PCOS are also at greater risk for miscarriage.
With advancements made in the medical industry, patients today have a number of fertility options available to increase their chances of pregnancy. Because the root issue of infertility varies from patient to patient, Dr. Kristiansen will perform a series of test to determine the exact cause. If PCOS is diagnosed, she will recommend the best form of treatment.
Common Treatments
Treatment options for this condition include:
Lifestyle Modifications
Women diagnosed with PCOS or hyperandrogenism who are also overweight are first encouraged to achieve a healthy weight before beginning fertility treatment. Studies have shown that patients who lose just 5 to 10 percent of their weight can significantly improve their chances of conceiving and minimize complications during pregnancy.
Medication
There are a variety of medications designed to help women ovulate, including:
- Clomid: Also known as clomiphene citrate, this oral medication stimulates follicle growth within the ovary to induce ovulation for women who do not ovulate naturally. This treatment can also be combined with Metformin to enhance your chances even more.
- Letrozole: When Clomid is unsuccessful, we can also prescribe doses of this medication to suppress estrogen levels and increase the output of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) to induce ovulation.
- FSH Hormones: If first-line therapy medications have failed to induce ovulation, an injectable can be administered to stimulate the ovaries.
IVF
During this infertility treatment, the woman undergoes a series of hormone injections to induce ovulation and produce a large amount of eggs. Once the eggs are ready, Dr. Kristiansen will retrieve the eggs. The eggs are then combined with retrieved sperm. The eggs will then be closely monitored for the next three to five days with the most viable transferred into the uterus. This procedure has proven successful for women with hyperandrogenism, PCOS, or other ovulation disorders.
Start Your Fertility Journey Today
If you have struggled to conceive for at least the past six months, it may be time for you and your partner to consider undergoing infertility testing. This will allow the doctor to determine whether the issue is male factor infertility, female factor infertility, or a combination of both.
Once a diagnosis has been made, a personalized treatment plan will be established start your fertility journey. At Houston Fertility Center, we provide multiple forms of fertility treatment to better serve our patients. To schedule your consultation, contact our office online.
