PCOS and natural support when you're trying to conceive

If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, trying to conceive can take longer, usually because the ovaries don’t release an egg every month [1]. The steps with the best research behind them are sustainable habits around food, movement and weight, together with the care you get from your doctor or gynecologist [2]. Supplements like inositol and acupuncture have weaker evidence, and it’s worth knowing that before you spend time and money on them [2][3].

People ask me about this often, so I’ve gathered what the large reviews and guidelines say, and what working with me can look like.

What is PCOS?

PCOS is common. The 2023 international guideline puts it at 10 to 13% of women [2]. In the UK, the NHS has started using a new name, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) [1].

It looks different from person to person. Common signs include irregular periods or long gaps between them, extra hair growth or hair loss, acne, weight gain, tiredness, and low mood or anxiety [1]. Many people first notice it when they start trying to conceive and their cycle is hard to predict.

Why can it take longer to conceive?

The most common reason is that the ovaries don’t release an egg each month [1]. Without regular ovulation, there are fewer chances to conceive, and it’s harder to know when they are.

That’s why so much of the support around PCOS starts with the cycle. How long is it? Do your periods come at all? What signs of ovulation do you notice? We go through these questions together, and your answers also make a good starting point for your next conversation with your gynecologist.

What the research says about food

There’s no special PCOS diet backed by research. The international guideline states that there is no evidence to support any one type of diet over another, and that any diet in line with general healthy-eating advice has health benefits [2]. It also says that no single lifestyle regimen has shown benefits over the others [2].

I find that reassuring. You don’t have to follow a strict plan that doesn’t fit your life. I don’t hand out ready-made food lists. We start from how you eat today and find changes you can actually keep.

Movement counts, in every form

The guideline recommends that adults aim for at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on two non-consecutive days [2]. For more benefit, including modest weight loss, it suggests at least 250 minutes a week [2].

That can be brisk walks, cycling to work, a dance class or strength training at home. What matters most is that you can keep it up.

Weight, without blame

The NHS advises trying to lose weight if you’re overweight [1], and the guideline notes that excess weight can lower the chances of success with fertility treatment [2]. The guideline also recognizes that many women with PCOS experience weight stigma in healthcare [2]. I’m happy to talk about weight, but only when you want to, and never with judgment.

Inositol: what we know

Inositol is one of the most popular supplements for PCOS. Here’s what the international guideline says [2]:

• inositol could be considered, based on your own preferences and values
• its benefits for ovulation, hair growth and weight are limited
• for women with PCOS who are trying to conceive, it should be considered an experimental therapy
• no specific type, dose or combination can be recommended
• supplements can be loosely regulated and vary in dose, quality and consistency

The guideline also encourages anyone taking inositol or other complementary therapies to tell their doctor [2]. I agree. When I suggest supplements or herbs, we go through the medications you take, and we choose high-quality products.

Acupuncture and PCOS

Japanese-style acupuncture is my main style, and I want to be honest about the research. A 2025 Cochrane review compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture in women with PCOS [3]. It found that acupuncture may make little or no difference to ovulation or live birth [3]. The evidence on cycle length was uncertain [3].

Side effects were somewhat more common with real acupuncture, including bruising, dizziness and nausea, but they were generally mild [3]. The certainty of the evidence for ovulation and live birth was rated low [3].

Many of my clients still choose acupuncture as part of their plan, as a time to rest and to look after sleep and stress. That’s a choice you can make knowing what the studies show. You can read more about the needles and what a session is like in my article on acupuncture for fertility.

Sleep, stress and mood

PCOS is about more than the cycle. According to the guideline, depression and anxiety are very common with PCOS, and obstructive sleep apnea is significantly more common [2]. Before you start trying to conceive, it recommends reviewing weight, blood pressure, smoking, alcohol, diet and folate [2].

So I always ask how you sleep and how you feel, not only about your periods.

How I work if you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS

Your first visit is 60 minutes and costs 3,500 SEK, at Kommendörsgatan 9 in Östermalm or online, in English or Swedish. I listen to your whole story: cycle, periods, sleep, stress, food, digestion and what you’ve already tried. We also go through your earlier lab results.

After the visit, you get a written plan. It can include:

• help tracking and understanding your cycle
• advice on food, movement and sleep that fits your life
• Chinese and Western herbs, homeopathy and supplements
• Japanese-style acupuncture, if you’d like
• lab tests through a private lab if needed, for example hormones and thyroid

I work in parallel with your doctor or gynecologist. Medical assessment and medications for ovulation stay with them; the guideline names letrozole as the first-line medication for ovulation induction [2]. My support can sit next to that care, whether you take medication or not. Read more about my fertility support, and see every option on prices.

Not sure if this fits your situation? Book a free 15-minute call on a Tuesday, or send me an email.

When to see a doctor

PCOS is assessed in regular healthcare. Contact your vårdcentral (local primary care clinic), a gynecologist or 1177 if you:

• think you might have PCOS, or your symptoms affect your daily life, work or relationships [1]
• have very irregular periods or periods that stop, and want to conceive
• snore, wake up tired or feel very sleepy during the day [2]
• feel low or anxious for a longer time [2]
• notice new, severe or unclear symptoms, such as very heavy bleeding

For sudden, severe pain in your abdomen or other emergencies, call 112.

Sources

1. NHS. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), previously called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/
2. Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven J, et al. Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Human Reproduction. 2023;38(9):1655–1679. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/38/9/1655/7242862
3. Zhang GS, Lim ECN, Cheng NCL, Lim CED. Acupuncture for polycystic ovary syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2025, Issue 10. https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD007689_what-are-benefits-and-harms-acupuncture-women-polycystic-ovary-syndrome