PMOS and planning a baby

PMOS and planning a baby

You have PMOS and you're thinking about having a baby. You may already have heard everything and its opposite: that it would take years, that you just need to "let go", that there's no point worrying. Here's what the 2023 international guideline on the condition, the professionals' reference, says, so you can prepare with accurate information.

A word about the name

On 12 May 2026, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was renamed internationally as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), with a publication in The Lancet. A three-year transition period is planned, during which both names will be used: so you'll still see "PCOS" in many documents, including our sources. It's the same condition.

From the start: two simple checks

The 2023 guideline advises, for all women with PMOS who are planning a pregnancy:

• having their blood pressure measured when planning (and, outside any plans, every year);
• being offered an OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test), a test that checks how your body handles sugar.

These are simple tests that can be arranged at your preconception appointment with your doctor, gynaecologist or midwife. And as for all women, folic acid starts from the moment you plan a pregnancy: 400 micrograms a day according to France's national health authority (HAS).

Regular cycles don't guarantee ovulation

This is a little-known point: according to the guideline, ovulation problems can occur even with regular cycles. If your doctor wants to check, a blood test (progesterone level) can confirm it. Periods that come every month are a good sign, then, but not proof.

No need to wait a year

The usual guide, seeking help after 12 months of trying (or 6 months over 35), doesn't necessarily apply to you. The Assurance Maladie (France's national health insurance) lists PCOS, as well as irregular or absent cycles, among the situations where it's better to seek advice earlier. If your cycles are far apart, you can raise it right at the start of your plans, without waiting for time to pass.

Ovulation tests

You sometimes read that they're less reliable if you have PMOS. This isn't confirmed by the 2023 guideline: take it as a possibility, not a certainty. What is established: with an irregular cycle, the hormone surge these tests look for can go undetected, notes MedlinePlus (the US National Library of Medicine). Ask your doctor before relying on them.

If help is needed

Treatments exist to help with ovulation, and the 2023 guideline specifies which ones to use first. They're prescribed and monitored by a doctor: never take them without a prescription, even if someone mentions them on a forum or on social media. Your doctor will choose with you what suits your situation.

Looking after your wellbeing

The 2023 guideline asks professionals to be aware of the high rates of depression and anxiety in women with PMOS, and to screen everyone for them using validated tools. Planning a baby can add pressure: waiting, counting, hoping, starting again. If you feel anxious or low, talk to your doctor. It's not a side issue, it's part of your health.

You can also see a psychologist: in France, through the Mon soutien psy scheme, the Assurance Maladie reimburses up to 12 sessions a year with a partner psychologist, with no prescription needed.

What Lovae can offer you

Your Lovae journal (periods, symptoms, tests) keeps a record of your cycles, month after month. It's something concrete to bring to appointments, so your doctor gets an overall picture rather than memories.

When to see someone

• From the start of your plans, for the preconception appointment (blood pressure, OGTT, folic acid).
• Without waiting 12 months if your cycles are irregular or absent.
• If you feel anxious or low, at any time.

This article is for information only. Lovae is not a medical device and does not replace medical advice. No treatment should be taken without a prescription. For any question, ask your doctor, gynaecologist or midwife.

Sources

• Human Reproduction · Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Teede et al.)
• Endocrine Society · Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome: New name to improve diagnosis and care (2026)
• Ameli · Medical fertility assessment (in French)
• HAS · Pregnancy planning: information, prevention messages and tests to offer (in French)
• MedlinePlus · Ovulation home test
• Ameli · Reimbursement of psychologist sessions: the Mon soutien psy scheme (in French)

Official sources, accessed in September 2026.