Actress Keke Palmer reveals she’s pregnant despite polycystic ovary syndrome

in collaboration with

Dr Odile Bagot (Gynecologist-obstetrician)

Actresses and media personalities suspected of being pregnant on the networks, it happens every week. Keke Palmer American actress and singer known for her role in Queens and various appearances in series, is no exception: the young woman is regularly mentioned by her fans to find out whether, yes or no, a pregnancy is on the program of her life. On December 3, on the set of Saturday Night Live, the actress insisted on revealing a very round belly, confirming the rumors. But beyond the good news, she also returned to her difficulties in getting pregnant, because of polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS.

PCOS, an intimate ailment and source of stress for the actress

If Keke Palmer announced that she was delighted with this current pregnancy, she nevertheless took advantage of this media coverage to take stock of her maternity journey full of pitfalls, and her difficulties in getting pregnant. Difficulties in particular amplified by the intrusion of fans and the media who kept asking questions, the actress specifically targeting the lack of discretion that targets women when it comes to maternity. Asking a woman if she is pregnant generally hides all the traumas she may encounter in her journey: miscarriage, infertility, or gynecological syndrome.

Nevertheless, her remarkable passage is also a message of hope, since she thus proves that even suffering from this syndrome, it is possible to become a mother.

What is polycystic ovary syndrome?

The actress is far from the only one to suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome. In France, one in 10 women is affected. According to INSERM, PCOS is due to a hormonal imbalance of ovarian and/or central origin (in the brain) which leads to excessive production of androgens, in particular testosterone, usually produced in small quantities in the body. feminine. This results in an increase in testosterone levels in the blood of the women concerned, impacting fertility.

According to Dr. Odile Bagot, gynecologist member of our committee of experts, several signs suggest PCOS:

• A spaniomenorrhea, either an absence of periods or periods that are rare;
• Signs of clinical hyperandrogenism such as acne, hyperpilosity or greasy hair;
• Overweight or metabolic syndrome: diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol;
• Discovery on endovaginal ultrasound of at least 20 follicles per ovary.

With a direct impact on fertility in the woman who suffers from it, rather logical: if you ovulate only 3 times a year, you are 4 times less likely to get pregnant than a woman who ovulates every month. Moreover, when ovulation is present, it is not necessarily of good quality.

PCOS: what treatment for infertility?

All hope of conceiving a baby, like Keke Palmer, is not lost since treatments are possible, according to the gynecologist.

• If PCOS involves weight gain, you should know that losing weight facilitates the regulation of ovulation. This is therefore a first track to follow;
• Then, you can take first treatment with myo-inositol, a food supplement that regulates insulin and improves fertility, without risk;
• Without result, we then give clomiphene citrate, to stimulate ovulation, while monitoring regularly; since the ovaries can form cysts;
• Finally, all the assisted reproduction techniques that exist can also be put in place to help the woman get pregnant.