3 Things You Need to Do if You Have PCOS and Can’t Get Pregnant

Dr. Alyssa Brooks McPeak
Aug 27
3 min read

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak

If you’ve been struggling to get pregnant and have been diagnosed with PCOS, you’re not alone. PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility, but it doesn’t mean your body is broken—it simply means your hormones need some extra support.

One of the main underlying drivers of PCOS is insulin resistance and adrenal dysfunction, which can throw off your entire hormonal balance, delay ovulation, and make conception more challenging. The good news? By making a few simple but powerful changes to your daily routine, you can start balancing your hormones naturally and supporting your fertility.

Here are three things you can start doing today to improve your chances of getting pregnant with PCOS:

1. Break Your Fast with Protein 🥚🍳

Your breakfast sets the tone for your entire day—especially when it comes to managing insulin sensitivity and blood sugar balance. When you eat a carb-heavy breakfast like cereal, toast, or fruit, your blood sugar spikes and your body responds by releasing a surge of insulin. For women with PCOS, who are often insulin resistant, this can make symptoms worse, increase inflammation, and disrupt ovulation.

Instead, start your day with protein and healthy fats. Protein stabilizes blood sugar, helps reduce cravings later in the day, and supports healthy hormone production—all key for fertility.

Easy High-Protein Breakfast Ideas:

Egg Muffins – Baked with spinach, turkey sausage, and bell peppers
Greek Yogurt Parfait (Plain) with chia seeds and walnuts
Protein Smoothie – Unsweetened protein (I love Just Ingredients-use promo code ROOTS), unsweetened almond milk, spinach, and nut butter
Avocado & Turkey Roll-Ups - Roll up with romaine lettuce leaves, or just the turkey slices
Chia Pudding - topped with hemp seeds and unsweetened coconut flakes

Simple High-Protein Breakfast Recipe

Savory Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

6 eggs
½ cup chopped spinach
½ cup diced turkey sausage
¼ cup shredded cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk eggs in a bowl and add spinach, sausage, cheese, salt, and pepper.
Pour into a greased muffin tin.
Bake for 20–25 minutes until set.
Store in the fridge for an easy grab-and-go breakfast!

2. Avoid Sugar and Starch Before Noon 🚫🍩

Here’s the hard truth: when you eat sugar or starchy carbs first thing in the morning, your body releases a spike of insulin to help remove sugar from your bloodstream and store it for energy. But if you have PCOS, your cells are less responsive to insulin—causing your body to produce even more insulin.

High insulin levels can drive up testosterone, which can lead to irregular cycles, acne, and even prevent ovulation altogether.

By delaying carbs until later in the day and starting your morning with protein and healthy fats, you give your body time to stabilize blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity.

Even natural sugars—like fruit, honey, and maple syrup—can spike insulin early in the day. Try waiting until lunch or later to introduce carbohydrates, and focus on low-glycemic options like:

Berries
Sweet potatoes
Quinoa
Lentils
Chickpeas

This simple shift can improve hormone balance, support regular ovulation, and help your body move toward becoming more fertile.

3. Support Your Adrenals with Adaptogens 🌿

Your adrenal glands produce stress hormones, including cortisol and DHEAS. In women with PCOS, the adrenals often become overactive, producing excess DHEAS, which converts into testosterone—further disrupting ovulation and making it harder to conceive.

This is where adaptogens come in. Adaptogens are natural herbs and roots that help your body adapt to stress and bring your nervous system back into balance. By lowering cortisol and stabilizing your adrenals, you can reduce inflammation, support ovulation, and improve fertility.

Best Adaptogens for PCOS and Fertility:

Ashwagandha – Helps lower cortisol and regulate stress response
Rhodiola – Supports energy and mood balance
Holy Basil (Tulsi) – Reduces anxiety and blood sugar spikes
Maca Root – Balances estrogen and progesterone levels naturally

You can find these in teas, tinctures, or supplements. Here are a few of my favorite options:

When your cortisol levels are balanced, your adrenals calm down, testosterone decreases, and your body can shift back into an ovulatory, fertile state.

Ready to Go Deeper?

Balancing your hormones with PCOS takes time, but you can absolutely restore your fertility with the right food, lifestyle, and stress-support strategies.

If you want a step-by-step plan to learn exactly what to eat, when to eat it, and how to support your hormones naturally, check out my online course Cycle Syncing. You’ll learn how to align your food, lifestyle, and habits with your body’s hormonal rhythms so you can optimize ovulation and boost fertility.