Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. It can manifest in various ways, with symptoms ranging in severity. One of the most challenging aspects of PCOS for women who desire children is infertility, and is the most common cause of ovulatory disorders. For many, PCOS is associated with an irregular menstrual cycle, causing infrequent or absent ovulation. However, getting pregnant with PCOS is entirely possible, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial both before and during pregnancy.
The Importance of Diet for PCOS and Pregnancy
Diet plans for PCOS and pregnancy are about more than just weight gain. Eating the right foods can change your life by addressing the root causes of your PCOS problems and reversing your symptoms. A recent study found that women with PCOS who closely followed a healthy dietary pattern, including vegetables, cereals, and legumes before conception and during early pregnancy, were three times as likely to have a healthy pregnancy.
Risks Associated with PCOS During Pregnancy
Women with PCOS face an increased risk of certain complications during pregnancy:
- Gestational Diabetes: Insulin resistance, common in PCOS, can worsen during pregnancy if blood sugar levels are not well-managed, potentially leading to gestational diabetes.
- Miscarriage and Stillbirth: Women with PCOS have a higher likelihood of experiencing miscarriage or stillbirths.
General Dietary Guidelines for a Healthy PCOS Pregnancy
While the popular phrase is “eating for two,” pregnant women with PCOS don’t need to eat any additional calories in the first trimester. Calorie intake should be increased mindfully, usually by 200 calories in the second trimester and 400 in the third, but this depends on individual weight and should be discussed with a doctor. It’s important to be very mindful of your nutrition while pregnant with PCOS. Whether you were already on a PCOS healing journey prior to pregnancy or are just in the thick of survival, you should talk to your doctor about a PCOS diet that helps you manage the hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and inflammation.
Key Nutrition Tips for a Healthy PCOS Pregnancy
- Eat Regularly Throughout the Day: Aim to eat every three to four hours, including three meals and two or three snacks to help keep blood sugar levels stable and potentially alleviate morning sickness.
- Include Fiber, Healthy Fats, and Protein: Focus on incorporating fiber-rich carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein with each meal and snack to promote stable blood sugar levels and ensure a variety of nutrients.
- Go Slow Carb, Not Low Carb: Choose nutritious, fiber-rich carbohydrate options such as whole grains, beans, lentils, starchy vegetables, and whole fruit to provide energy and essential nutrients without causing blood sugar spikes.
- Enjoy Seafood Twice a Week: Aim for two to three servings of low-mercury fish and seafood per week, particularly oily fish, for a good source of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid important for the baby’s brain development.
- Limit Caffeine: Current guidelines recommend a caffeine limit of 200 milligrams per day during pregnancy, approximately two 6-ounce cups of brewed coffee.
- Take a Prenatal Multivitamin: A daily prenatal multivitamin helps fill in nutritional gaps, providing essential nutrients like iron, folate, iodine, and vitamin D.
Foods to Focus On
The best PCOS diet is the same diet we’d recommend to anyone with heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. Eat foods that lessen inflammation and don’t spike your blood sugar. The best foods for PCOS include whole foods that lessen inflammation and don’t spike blood sugar, including:
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
- A wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Non-starchy fruits and vegetables have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a scale from 1-100. The lower the score, the longer that food takes to raise a person’s blood sugar levels.
- Healthy fats, like avocados, nuts, and seeds
- Lean proteins, such as turkey, chicken, fish, and beans. There is some research that shows eating a higher protein diet when you have PCOS can help improve insulin resistance along with a reduction in carbohydrates.
- Complex carbohydrates, including whole grains and legumes. Whole grains are processed in the body slower than simple, refined carbs. They do not cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin, and they have a lower glycemic index.
- Fiber-rich foods, such as broccoli, apples, sweet potatoes, and berries
Sample Pregnancy Menu
Here’s a sample menu to provide an idea of what a balanced day of eating could look like:
- Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal (½ cup rolled oats cooked in regular or fortified non-dairy milk), ½ cup blueberries, 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, 1 cup coffee or tea (optional).
- Lunch: 1 medium baked sweet potato filled with ½ cup black beans & ½ cup sauteed kale, topped with ¼ cup salsa, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt & 1 Tbsp sesame seeds.
- Afternoon Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs, ¼ sliced avocado, 1 serving whole-grain crackers.
- Dinner: 5 ounces baked salmon, 1 cup roasted cauliflower, 1 cup farro or quinoa (cooked in water or vegetable broth), 2 Tbsp olive-oil vinaigrette.
- Mid-morning or evening snack: Smoothie made with 1 cup milk or milk alternative, 1 frozen medium banana, 1 Tbsp almond butter & 1 Tbsp cocoa powder.
Foods to Limit or Avoid
PCOS patients should try to limit highly processed foods, sugary drinks, simple carbs that are stripped of fiber and nutrients, and fried foods. Diets high in trans and saturated fats can increase insulin resistance and inflammation in the body. The biggest culprit of insulin resistance is eating a lot of processed foods and simple carbs. These carbs are made of sugars, such as fructose and glucose, and can cause a sudden rise in blood sugar and insulin production, which can lead to health issues. Too much sugar can cause inflammation in the body, which can negatively affect those with PCOS.
Specific Foods to Be Mindful Of
- Sugary Beverages: Drinks like soda pop and smoothies, especially those from the store, can contain excessive sugar, leading to blood sugar spikes.
- Dairy: One study indicated that drinking milk has a direct effect on people with PCOS. Decreasing your dairy intake might help reduce your PCOS symptoms.
Additional Lifestyle Factors
Your diet is only one part of managing life with PCOS. "Health optimization in people with PCOS is sensitive to a lot of things - especially the things we eat and drink, our sleep-wake cycle, and physical activity,” she says. Aside from making changes in your diet, increasing physical activity can help improve PCOS symptoms. You can start small by walking, if you are able, for 10-15 minutes a day at a time of day that works best for you.
- Exercise: Regular exercise can help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Get Enough Sleep: Prioritize sleep, as PCOS can sometimes disrupt sleep patterns.
- Manage Your Stress: Implement stress-reduction techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises.
Importance of Supplements
Healthy food can only get you so far. We all need supplements to fill in the gaps. Being mindful of the foods you eat are SO important for reducing your risk of pregnancy complications and helping you live symptom-free. Of course, it’s hard to get all the right nutrients, so taking supplements and incorporating them into your diet is another way you can set yourself and your baby up for future success.
- Prenatal Multivitamin: A daily prenatal multivitamin helps to fill in the gaps - it does not replace a nutritious diet. When selecting a prenatal multivitamin, look for a safe formula that is third-party certified (i.e. USP or NSF) and meets 100% or more of the daily value for iron, folate, iodine, vitamin D.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: If you not eat omega-3 rich seafood regularly, look for one that also provides 200mg or more DHA.
- Calcium: Calcium may reduce the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension , which includes gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.
- Choline: Choline plays an important role in neural tube and fetal brain development.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is very important in pregnancy for both mom and baby. Vitamin D levels have been shown to be depleted in mothers by the time they give birth.
- Inositols: Inositols are nutrients that are naturally found in food and produced in the body, and they can also be taken as supplements. Inositol helps the body use insulin more effectively, which is beneficial for women with PCOS, and several studies have shown it helps prevent gestational diabetes.
Sample 7-Day PCOS Pregnancy Meal Plan
Here is a sample 7-day meal plan to get you started. Be sure to adjust it to your caloric needs, as everyone is different. All my recipes for these meals are available on The Cysterhood app!
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
- Day 1:
- Breakfast: Morning smoothie (can include Ovasitol)
- Lunch: Protein-rich foods with beans and tuna
- Snack: Nutella Nice Cream (dairy-free)
- Dinner: Salmon (full of omega-3 fatty acids)
- Day 2:
- Breakfast: Cauliflower oatmeal bowl
- Lunch: Savory, high-protein Mexican dish (air fryer)
- Snack: Lemon blueberry gummies
- Day 3:
- Breakfast: Muffins with protein powder, apples, and cinnamon
- Snack/Dessert: Low-calorie lemon poppyseed protein cheesecake bars
- Lunch: Gluten-free tortilla hamburger wrap
- Dinner: Rainbow veggie salmon
- Day 4:
- Breakfast: Avocado toast
- Lunch: Stir fry (41g protein)
- Snack: Strawberry cheesecake popsicles (includes Ovasitol)
- Dinner: Gluten-free, dairy-free pizza
- Day 5:
- Breakfast: Egg bites (microwave)
- Lunch: Shrimp fajita bowl
- Dinner: BBQ chicken and potatoes (air fryer)
- Dessert: Chickpea cookie dough (no raw eggs)
- Day 6:
- Breakfast: Chia pudding (collagen powder)
- Lunch: Meatball salad
- Dinner: Gluten-free chicken alfredo
- Dessert: Sweet potato brownies
- Day 7:
- Breakfast: Chocolate waffles (low calorie, high protein, gluten-free)
- Lunch: Chipotle turkey bowl (46g protein)
- Dinner: Quick pasta dish
- Snack: Peanut butter quinoa puff cups (made with quinoa)
Seeking Professional Guidance
While this guide provides comprehensive information, consulting with healthcare professionals is crucial. A doctor can provide personalized advice on a PCOS diet to manage hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Additionally, a registered dietitian specializing in reproductive or prenatal health can offer individualized nutrition recommendations and collaborate with your doctor on your care plan.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP