Infertility

Plaskitt sought medical advice because she kept putting on weight, despite eating a healthy diet and doing regular exercise.

``For a lot of women this has an awful stigma _ they are overweight, hairy and can't get pregnant _ it is an awful thing,'' she says.

``I was amazed to discover people who have it or who know someone who has it, and they have never been tested for insulin resistance.'' Insulin resistance causes most cases of PCOS and can be treated if recognised, with a combination of diet, exercise and relatively benign drugs.

But despite this, many women with the condition who seek a doctor's help when they can't get pregnant are being referred to expensive and invasive IVF services instead.

Some estimates put the proportion of women who have PCOS who seek IVF treatment at between 30 and 40 per cent.

But there is an argument that IVF is being offered way too early.

``The vast majority of women (with PCOS) don't need it,'' says Sydney endocrinologist Warren Kidson.

``Unfortunately there are a lot of women who are offered IVF long before (other therapies).

It's not just expensive, it's very stressful physically and emotionally.'' The national medical director of Monash IVF, Ga...

Read more...