Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Fertility Treatment Options

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may result in infertility, mainly of the anovulatory type. The “Consensus on Infertility Treatment Related to PCOS,” held in Thessaloniki in 2007, and, more recently, the “International Evidence-Based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS” addressed all fertility treatment options and critically appraised the available evidence. Lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, physical exercise) to reduce body weight in overweight women, clomiphene citrate (CC), letrozole, insulin-sensitizing medications (e.g., metformin), exogenous gonadotropins, assisted reproduction technology, and ovarian drilling all represent rational treatment options. The choice of treatment should be the result of a joint decision after an informed discussion between the infertile couple and the medical team, based on a woman’s special characteristics and the couple’s wishes and choices.