PMOS (formerly known as PCOS)

Have you been diagnosed with PMOS (formerly known as PCOS) and are trying to conceive? You may have a lot of questions as to whether the Béa Treatment is right for you. Read on to find out more about the condition itself, the Béa Treatment and improving your chances of conceiving.

Note: New name, same condition. You may notice that throughout this article we refer to PMOS rather than PCOS. While the condition has long been called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the name has been updated to polycystic metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect the full range of ways it can affect the body — beyond the ovaries alone. The science and advice in this article remain the same; only the name has changed.

Does the Béa Treatment work with PMOS?

Yes — it does! If you have PMOS and you know that you’re ovulating, then the Béa Treatment could be a good treatment option. The Béa Applicator needs to be used around the time of ovulation for the best chances of getting pregnant. Once you have a positive ovulation test you should use the Béa Applicator. The Béa Applicator is designed to deliver sperm to the cervix, giving sperm a better chance of getting to the fallopian tube with our custom cervical cap.

Reasons why people with PMOS try Béa

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Can be used alongside PMOS treatment

The Béa Treatment is suitable if you're taking metformin to reduce insulin levels or medication to induce ovulation.
Additional support

We know that having PMOS can raise concerns about conceiving. We're here to help.

What is PMOS?

PMOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects 1 in 8 women . It affects how the ovaries work and disrupts hormonal balance in the body. The exact cause of PMOS is still unknown. The main features of PMOS include absent or reduced ovulation, high levels of androgens (like testosterone) and polycystic ovaries.

What causes PMOS?

Unfortunately, the cause of PMOS is still not fully understood. There are many different possible symptoms of PMOS, and the condition is likely caused by a combination of factors including environmental, genetic and our own hormonal make up. This can result in abnormally elevated levels of certain hormones.

Common PMOS symptoms

For those who develop symptoms of PMOS, they will usually start to show in your late teens/early twenties. Common symptoms of PMOS include:

Irregular or absent periods
Irregular or absent ovulation
Heavy or very light bleeding when you have a period
Painful periods
Excessive body or facial hair growth
Hair loss from your head
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Oily skin and acne
Headaches
Difficulty getting pregnant
Depression
Anxiety

What type of PMOS do you have?

Did you know that there are different types of PMOS? PMOS can present itself in a number of ways, with a range of different symptoms (this can make it more difficult to diagnose). There are three main features of PMOS. If you have at least two of these features, you may be diagnosed with PMOS. Everyone responds differently so you may not have all of these symptoms but recognize one or two.

High levels of androgens

Features: Androgens, like testosterone, may cause excess hair on the body or face, acne or weight gain.

High levels of circulating insulin or glucose

Features: Weight gain (unintended), excessive tiredness, recurrent infections.

Polycystic ovaries

Features: Enlarged ovaries with many fluid-filled sacs (this is seen on an ultrasound).

Absent ovulation

Features: Ovaries are not releasing eggs during the menstrual cycle.

The Béa Treatment is suitable if you have high levels of androgens, elevated insulin or glucose, or polycystic ovaries — as long as you know if you're ovulating.

The Béa Treatment is not suitable for absent ovulation.

How do I track ovulation with PMOS?

Ovulation tests can be the best way to determine when you're ovulating. They measure LH levels in urine, which rises approximately 36 hours before ovulation. Always read the instructions that come with your test to know when to start testing. With irregular cycles it can be more difficult to establish when to start testing. Check the shortest cycle you've had in the past 6 months and base your testing on that cycle length!

If you've had particularly long cycles, it can be time-consuming and difficult to test for ovulation. You may want to get multipacks of ovulation test strips — a more budget friendly way to track ovulation.

Note: If you are receiving persistently positive results, it most likely means that your LH levels are abnormally elevated due to your PMOS. In such case, the ovulation test may be unreliable.

What if I'm not ovulating?

Many with PMOS are found to have an imbalance in their hormone levels. This can include having elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH). A surge in LH will often trigger ovulation, but elevated levels of LH throughout the menstrual cycle can disrupt the normal function of the ovary and cause a lack of ovulation.

What treatments are available to improve ovulation?

Because PMOS effects many systems within our body, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to treatment. Some types of treatment can have an impact on your fertility, so it's important to be open with your doctor about any plans to conceive now or in the future, so the best treatment type can be prescribed for you. Here are some lifestyle changes, medication options and more that have been proven to benefit many with PMOS:

1. Lifestyle changes

Some people with PMOS are instructed to lose weight to help improve their symptoms. A 5% weight reduction can significantly improve symptoms, improve ovulation and increase the chances of pregnancy. But we know this is easier said than done. High levels of insulin that can be associated with PMOS can make weight loss difficult. We also want to avoid crash diets — we don't want to deplete your body of nutrients. Adding in nutritional foods rich in omega-3, for example oily fish, flaxseeds, nuts and mint have been shown to be beneficial in PMOS by reducing the circulating inflammatory markers in the body. Studies have shown a link between ultra-processed foods and sedentary lifestyles as significant factors in PMOS progression so try to cut out the ultra-processed foods and move more.

2. Medication

The main aim here is to initiate ovulation. Ovulation is hindered by various factors including elevated glucose and subsequently insulin levels and elevated androgens (testosterone). The combined oral contraceptive pill or progesterone only pill may be recommended by your doctor to regulate your menstrual cycle. These cannot be used if you are trying to conceive, so you would need to speak to your doctor about coming off treatment before starting the Béa Treatment.

3. Surgery

A minor surgical procedure called laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) may be a treatment option for fertility problems associated with PMOS that do not respond to medicine. This can help correct the hormone imbalance and restore the function of your ovaries. The key is to make sure that you have healed fully from your surgery before considering getting pregnant and trying the Béa Treatment. Talk to you doctor about your plans to conceive and get the green light to go ahead after your surgery.

Speaking to your doctor about medication for PMOS

If you've been diagnosed with PMOS

If you want to explore medication to restore ovulation, you should make an appointment with your primary care physician or OBGYN. They can prescribe medication that might help:

Metformin. Metformin can lower insulin and blood sugar levels in those with PMOS. This can help manage symptoms and it may improve ovulation.
Medications to stimulate ovulation. Clomiphene citrate, letrozole or gonadotropins are medications that can be used in those with PMOS to stimulate ovulation. These are often used over multiple cycles and may require monitoring with ultrasound.

If you suspect you have PMOS

You should make an appointment with your doctor and discuss the symptoms you have. It is really helpful if you can provide a symptom diary, allowing the doctor to see if there is a correlation of symptoms with triggers and the pattern of symptoms you are experiencing. It can include details of your recent menstrual cycles, your cycle length, any information on ovulation testing and other PMOS related symptoms (oily skin and acne, excessive facial hair or body hair and hair loss from the head). This can be beneficial in understanding the type and severity of PMOS. Your doctor will determine if you need blood tests to measure your hormone levels and an ultrasound scan to look at your ovaries. PMOS can increase your risk of some other conditions and it’s possible they may request additional tests such as glucose and lipid levels.

Why do I need lifestyle and nutrition advice?

Our research on PMOS has revealed that many people feel unsupported following a PMOS diagnosis. Many of them are told to lose weight but aren't given tools to help balance their hormones and improve their symptoms.

Nutrition

Food is a vital part of our lives and provides us with the nutrition we need to function. Many diets can be problematic or over-restrictive and can lead to us having a negative relationship with food. No single food contains the nutrients we need and eating a mixture of foods is optimal for a healthy, balanced diet. These are foods that can help lower insulin levels:

Fiber. Fiber helps you stay full after a meal as it slows down digestion.
Protein. Like fiber, protein can help you feel fuller for longer and can stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Fruit and vegetables. It’s important to eat fruit and vegetables to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and antioxidants.
Healthy fats. Eating plenty of healthy fats can help you feel more satisfied after meals as well as reducing your insulin levels and cholesterol.

Exercise

Regular exercise has a number of health benefits for everyone, including people with PMOS. Exercise can:

Increase blood circulation and oxygen intake which can improve your heart and lung health.
Help with weight loss or weight maintenance.
Reduce insulin resistance (which can improve PMOS symptoms).

What can you do to improve your chances of conceiving?

It is estimated that up to 95% of women presenting with anovulatory infertility have PMOS. Furthermore, a significant proportion of them also have elevated circulating insulin and glucose levels.

Elevated levels of insulin and glucose result in an inflammatory response, and together with elevated androgens, this suppresses the natural ovulatory cycle. This is why we typically see elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and reduced levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on blood tests.

With this in mind, there are lots of steps that you can take to improve your chances of conceiving:

1. Keep a record of your symptoms

Engage with your current health and lifestyle so that you can monitor any symptoms you're experiencing. This will help you to recognize improvements and the positive effects of the lifestyle changes that you make. Symptom tracking can be very beneficial because we know it might take a while to see your changes reflected in your weight. That delay can be particularly discouraging and cause a lack of motivation to continue.

2. Build positive lifestyle changes into your daily routine

Think about how you move and what you nourish your body with. This will have a significant immediate impact, not to mention benefit your long-term health and wellbeing, improving your chances of conceiving.

3. Get your baseline blood levels checked

Check the levels of hormones, glucose and fats in the body checked via routine blood tests with your doctor. Then, work together with your doctor to optimize these.

4. Build a relationship with your doctor

This can be difficult if you've previously felt unsupported, but this can be so important when trying to improve your symptoms and optimize your fertility. Having a good relationship can help you discuss potential medications that may help for your own individual hormone profile.

5. Try the Béa Treatment

If you know that you're ovulating — the Béa Treatment is a good option for PMOS. The Béa Applicator places our custom cervical cap against the cervix, holding semen in place for up to 5 hours.

Speaking to your doctor about the Béa Treatment

If your doctor hasn’t heard of the Béa Fertility Treatment yet, here's the TL:DR version you can share with them:

The Béa Treatment is an at-home fertility treatment that's affordable and accessible. It involves placing a cervical cap with semen near the cervix and has a pregnancy rate of 39.28% over 3 cycles.*

Disclaimers
*39.28% pregnancy rate among 56 Béa users who completed up to three treatment cycles and reported outcomes between June–Dec 2023. Internal observational data; no control group. Results vary and are not guaranteed. “Pregnancy rate” refers to reported pregnancies during/after treatment; it is not a live-birth rate.