Gain PCOS Awareness—PCOS Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Veena Shinde (M.D, D.G.O, PG – Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) from Warick, UK) Mumbai, India
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Author:
Palak Thakkar
- >> Post Created: May 3, 2021
- >> Last Updated: May 8, 2024
Your ultimate PCOS awareness guide - Table of Contents
When it is that time of the month, we all have wished that it should never come back. We are done with the cramps, the mood swings, the body ache, the bloating, etc. Every month we nervously wait for it (and even dread it).
But if the period train does not come on time, it makes us even more stressed. – …Am I Pregnant?; …Am I sick?; …Am I having hormonal problems?; …Am I suffering from PCOS?…. And countless other questions keep going through our minds. We sigh in relief when periods eventually do arrive.
Basically, even though periods are uncomfortable, getting them regularly means our body is functioning properly and is doing what it needs to do to keep us healthy. But some women experience irregular periods from the very beginning. They can get less than 8–9 periods a year.
There are many reasons for irregular and skipped periods, and one of the most common one is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Many women suffer from PCOS, but PCOS awareness is so low that 70% women suffering from PCOS don’t even know that they have the syndrome.
We wrote this article to spread PCOS awareness and to ensure every woman knows PCOS symptoms, its causes, and treatments. By spreading PCOS awareness, we can empower women with the right information, so that they can seek the help they need, in time. This article covers everything you need to know about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
What is PCOS??
As mentioned before PCOS awareness is so low that approximately 70% of women suffering with PCOS don’t even know if they have this syndrome. Hence this articles primary objective is to spread PCOS awareness. To start let me elaborate on what is PCOS – PCOS is a condition that occurs in women who have hormonal imbalances. It mainly affects the ovaries, the reproductive organs that are responsible for producing hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and androgens.
Estrogen and progesterone are the hormones that help in regulating the menstrual cycle. But the ovaries also produce a small amount of male hormones called androgens. Because women don’t need the male hormone, it is soon converted into estrogen.
Ovaries release a single egg every month that can be fertilized by a sperm to create a zygote. This clockwork release of an egg every month is called ovulation. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) help in the ovulation process. FSH stimulates one of the ovaries to produce a follicle, which is a sac like structure that contains an egg. Once the follicle is made, LH triggers the release of the egg so that it can be fertilized.
If all these hormones work in harmony and are balanced properly, the entire process should work like clockwork. This will ensure regular and predictable periods.
Hormone levels in women suffering from PCOS can go haywire. In women with PCOS, cysts develop inside the ovaries. These cysts are small fluid-filled sacs, and as there are many cysts, it is called polycystic.
These fluid-filled sacs are follicles that contain an immature egg. Because of the excess fluid the egg never matures enough, and therefore, ovulation is not triggered.
Because there is no ovulation, the hormone levels are altered. There is a dip in estrogen and progesterone levels, whereas the level of androgen increases. Because of the more than usual levels of androgen, which is a male hormone, the menstrual cycle gets disrupted. Therefore, women suffering from PCOS encounter fewer than normal periods.
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How common is PCOS??
If you think PCOS is a new age syndrome, then you are wrong. An Italian physician called Antonio Vallisneri had described PCOS symptoms in 1721. So women suffering from PCOS symptoms is a tale as old as time.
As per reports, about 1 in every 15 women, aged between 15 and 44 or child bearing age, suffer from PCOS. About 70% of these women don’t even know they are suffering from PCOS because of lack of PCOS awareness.
Most women find out that they have PCOS when they are unable to conceive due to PCOS symptoms. But it has been found that PCOS symptoms can occur at any age. No matter what race or ethnicity the women are, they are all equally at risk of PCOS.
What causes PCOS??
Even though PCOS symptoms affect so many women around the world, doctors and researchers have not been able to pin point the exact PCOS causes. The main reason is believed to be the higher levels of male hormones, which prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs regularly.
Other PCOS causes have been found to be genetics, inflammation, and insulin resistance, but they have all been linked to the increased levels of androgen. Through our article on PCOS awareness, we bring forth in short the various PCOS causes.
Genetics
There have been studies that have shown that your genes play a role in PCOS. If your mother, sister, or even aunt have PCOS, it is likely that you may have it too. Researchers have not been able to identify the specific genes that are responsible for PCOS yet. But it is believed that more than one gene is involved in causing PCOS symptoms.
Talk to your family and gather information that can help you create better PCOS awareness for you and other members of your family. Consult your doctor for a diagnosis if many members of your family have PCOS.
Hormones
Your body produces many hormones and they normally work in harmony with each other. Some of these hormones can affect the menstrual cycle.
We have already explained the involvement of estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and androgen in causing PCOS in an earlier section. Other than these hormones, many women suffering from PCOS have an imbalance of the following hormones:
- Higher levels of testosterone: It is a male hormone, and its higher levels in the female body can cause PCOS.
- Higher levels of LH: LH stimulates the follicle to release an egg, but higher levels of this hormone can have adverse effects on the ovaries.
- Lower levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG): This is a protein that binds to testosterone in the blood and reduces its effect. Women who have PCOS have increased levels of testosterone, and if SHBG is present in lower amounts, it cannot reduce the effects of testosterone.
- Higher levels of prolactin: Only some women with PCOS show higher levels of prolactin. It is a hormone that stimulates the breasts to produce milk after pregnancy. Some women may notice secretion from the breast even though they are not pregnant because of the increased levels of prolactin in their body.
Researchers have been able to identify the reason behind these hormonal changes. But it has been suggested that the problem may have started from the ovaries, the other glands that control production of these hormones, or even in the brain that controls the overall hormone production in the body. Some of these changes may have been caused due to insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance
It has been found that, of the total women having PCOS, about 70% of them have insulin resistance. This means that that their cells cannot use insulin efficiently.
The pancreas produce the insulin hormone, and you need insulin to breakdown the sugar from the food that you have ingested to produce energy. But if your body cannot use insulin effectively, your blood sugar levels will rise and your body will start demanding more insulin. Due to the increased demand, the pancreas will start dumping more insulin into the body.
The increased levels of insulin will trigger the ovaries to produce more androgen, and we already know that higher levels of male hormones can cause PCOS.
Obesity is one of the major causes of insulin resistance. If a woman is both obese and insulin resistant, then her chances of getting type 2 diabetes increases.
Inflammation
It has been noticed that women who suffer from PCOS have higher levels of inflammation in their body. There can be other reasons for the inflammation like being overweight, some infection, etc. But studies have shown that higher androgen levels in the female body can cause inflammation.
Low-grade inflammation is often seen in women suffering from PCOS. Low-grade inflammation is usually observed when the white blood cells level increases to fight infections. Studies have shown that women suffering from PCOS have this low-grade inflammation, which causes the polycystic ovaries to produce more male hormones.
Increased levels of inflammation can cause various problems in the body including heart and blood vessel problems. Increasing your PCOS awareness will help you identify the PCOS symptoms early on, which can help you address inflammation in your body before anything detrimental happens.
PCOS symptoms
As mentioned before less or no PCOS awareness is the main cause for severity of the condition. Understanding the many PCOS symptoms and signs – will definitely help in raising PCOS awareness in women. However it is not necessary that a woman with PCOS will show all the exact symptoms. Some women can show a few of the symptoms, whereas others may not show any symptoms at all. The women who do show PCOS symptoms, each of the symptoms can vary from being just mild to extremely severe. It completely depends from persons to person. But it has been seen that being overweight can make many of these PCOS symptoms a lot more severe.
There isn’t an answer to the question—when will you start showing PCOS symptoms if you are affected by it. Because some women will start showing the symptoms as early as their first period, while others may only discover that they have PCOS after they have encountered trouble getting pregnant.
PCOS symptoms are also triggered if there is sudden substantial weight gain. The most common PCOS symptoms seen in women are as follows:
Irregular and skipped periods
This is the most common PCOS symptom. We have learned that increased androgen levels inhibit the release of eggs. Because there is no ovulation, the uterine wall will not be shed every month. It has been seen that women suffering from PCOS can have less than 8 periods a year. It is counted as irregular periods if the periods come every 21 days or even more often. Some women can stop having periods altogether.
Heavy periods
Because of irregular periods, the uterine wall build up is not shed every month. So the uterine wall will keep building until your next period (whenever they come). The uterine wall can become a lot thicker than usual and will cause heavy bleeding when it sheds all the build-up during periods. Along with irregular periods, women with PCOS may see extreme blood flow in their periods, from very little bleeding to very severe bleeding.
Excess hair growth
Another common PCOS symptom is excessive hair growth. More than 70% of women with PCOS have excessive hair growth on their face and body. Hair growth can also be seen on their backs, bellies, chest, etc. This condition of excessive hair growth is called hirsutism.
Acne
The presence of more male hormones in the female body can lead to the skin becoming oily, which can cause acne on the face, upper arms, chest, and even back. But remember that you can have these skin problems even without PCOS. Consult a doctor to understand the underlying cause of your acne to get the best treatment.
Weight gain
This is another commonly encountered PCOS symptom. About 80% of women with PCOS are obese/overweight. If you have PCOS, it causes weight gain, and if you have gained weight you are susceptible to PCOS (it’s a vicious cycle). Women with PCOS have a tougher time losing weight as compared to women who do not have PCOS. The weight gain in PCOS is caused due to the presence higher levels of androgen in the body. Because male hormones cause the weight gain, the weight is typically seen in the abdomen, as that is where men tend to carry weight. So women with PCOS have more of an apple-shaped figure than a pair-shaped one. The extra fat in the body can cause many other health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart problems, etc. Being overweight/obese can make all the other PCOS symptoms more serious and threatening.
Hair loss
We know what you are thinking, that on one side PCOS causes excessive hair growth and the on other side it causes hair loss; how is that even possible? Higher levels of male hormones can cause male-pattern baldness in women as well. Women with PCOS can encounter the problem of thinning hair on their scalp, and this can get worse with age.
Dark skin patches
Another PCOS symptom is the formation of dark skin patches on the neck crease, groin area, underarms, below the breasts, etc. This velvety dark skin condition is called acanthosis nigricans. Some women can even have skin tags. Skin tags are small excess skin flaps that can be observed in the armpits and neck area.
Headaches and tiredness
Some women can have headaches and a feeling of tiredness all the time if they have PCOS. Some of these women can even have trouble sleeping.
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
This condition is a severe inflammation of the liver that is caused by excess of fat accumulation.
Understanding these symptoms will definitely increase your PCOS awareness and will better prepare you to tackle the condition. If you notice some of these PCOS symptoms, then contact your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment plan if needed. A better PCOS awareness can help you keep your body healthy.
Other ways in which PCOS can affect your body
When it comes to PCOS awareness, its always good to understand how it could affect you. Understating this helps you in seeking out treatment in time.
Infertility
Because of the increased levels of androgen in women with PCOS, the follicles are not timely triggered to release the egg. Without ovulation, pregnancy is not possible. Women with PCOS find it a little more difficult to get pregnant as eggs are not released regularly. As many women have PCOS, it has become the leading cause of infertility in women. Spreading PCOS awareness, especially in women who want to get pregnant, has become very important. Prior knowledge can enable them to seek treatment early on.
Metabolic syndrome
PCOS has been linked to weight gain, and it has been observed that 80% of women who have PCOS are overweight/obese. If a woman is overweight and also has PCOS, then she has an increased risk of being affected by high blood pressure, lower HDL levels (this is the good cholesterol), and higher LDL levels (this is the bad cholesterol). All these factors together are called the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome increases the chances of diabetes, heart diseases, and stroke.
Sleep apnea
It is a serious sleep disorder in which the breathing stops intermittently throughout the night. This interrupts sleep and causes tiredness. Sleep apnea is a PCOS symptom seen in women who are overweight. If a woman is obese and also has PCOS, then her risk for sleep apnea is about 5–10 times higher than women who do not have PCOS. If the sleep apnea is at a serious stage where the person stops breathing for longer durations while sleeping, then they are advised to sleep with the aid of a breathing machine. PCOS awareness can help you seek treatment for sleep apnea quickly before it becomes a serious life-threating problem.
Endometrial cancer
During regular periods, the endometrial lining sheds. Because of irregular periods in women with PCOS, the endometrial wall keeps on getting thicker until whenever the next period will occur. This extra thickening of the uterine wall increases the risk of endometrial cancer.
Depression
Regular hormone changes during periods make your mood fluctuate. But with PCOS, the mood swings can go completely haywire, and the excessive hair growth along with the weight gain can reduce your confidence. All these factors can negatively affect the mind causing depression and anxiety. Many women with PCOS undergo depression.
PCOS diagnosis
Because the exact cause of PCOS has not been determined yet, there is no single test that can determine if you have PCOS. The doctor will have to conduct multiples test to check for PCOS symptoms and then rule out other reasons for the symptoms. A combination of the family history, physical exam, pelvic exam, ultrasound, and blood tests will help the doctor in diagnosing PCOS.
Before delving into all the blood tests, the doctor will do a primary analysis to see the possibility of the patient having PCOS. If the woman shows 2 of the below three PCOS symptoms, then the doctor may make a PCOS diagnosis:
- Higher levels of male hormones, which can be seen through excessive hair growth on the body
- Irregular or even skipped period
- Multiple cysts in the ovaries
If the primary analysis is indicating a PCOS diagnosis, the doctor will further examine to conclusively determine whether the woman has PCOS or not.
Family history
The doctor will first ask your family history with regards to PCOS. If the woman’s mother, sister, aunt, etc. have had PCOS, then there is a higher change for the woman to also have PCOS. Although the exact genes responsible for PCOS have not been identified yet, but a genetic link to PCOS has been observed in many women.
Physical examination
The doctors will first check for the obvious PCOS symptoms like excessive hair growth on the face and other body parts, dark skin patches on the body, and acne. These are visible PCOS indicators. The doctor will also check the body mass index (BMI), the waist size, and also the blood pressure.
Pelvic examination
This will be very much like any other regular checkup. With gloved fingers the doctor will check the vagina, cervix, ovaries, etc. to see if there is anything unusual. This examination will help check if there are any problems with the ovaries and other reproductive organs and tract.
Pelvic ultrasound
An ultrasound will use sound waves to check whether there are any abnormalities in the ovaries, follicles, uterus, etc. The ultrasound will also help detect whether there are any cysts present in the ovaries. The ovaries can be about 1.5–3 times larger in women with PCOS as compared to women without PCOS. An ultrasound is able to detect changes in the ovaries in 90% of women with PCOS. The endometrial wall thickness can also be detected with an ultrasound. If the lining is thicker than usual, it can be an indicator of PCOS.
Blood tests
Your blood holds many secrets of your body. Blood tests can reveal many things about you that you may not even know. The doctor will test your blood to determine whether you have PCOS symptoms. Some of the tests conducted are as follows:
- Testosterone: It is a male hormone and higher levels of it in the female can lead to PCOS.
- Estrogen: It is a hormone involved in keeping the menstrual cycle working like a clock. Women with PCOS will have higher than normal levels of estrogen in their body.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): It enables the development of the follicles in the ovaries that contain the egg. FSH affects the ability of a women to get pregnant. If the hormone is lower than normal in the body, then it can be a sign of PCOS.
- Luteinizing hormone (LH): It stimulates the follicles to release the egg. If it does not trigger the follicles, the egg will not be released, and if the egg is not released, pregnancy cannot occur. If LH is present in higher amounts than normal, then it is a sign of PCOS.
- Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG): Women with PCOS have lower than normal levels of SHBG in their body.
- Androstenedione: It is a sex hormone, and higher than normal levels of the hormone in the body is a sign of PCOS.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): This hormone is not an indicator of PCOS, but its presence can tell you if the woman is pregnant. Doctors perform this test to rule out the possibility of pregnancy for the irregular or skipped periods.
- Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH): By testing for this hormone the doctors can check whether the ovaries are working properly, and they can also estimate when menopause will occur for the woman. Higher than normal levels of this hormone is a sign of PCOS.
- Lipid profiles: With PCOS, the cholesterol and triglycerides levels are affected adversely. The doctors get these tests done to see if everything is in the normal range or not. Anything out of the ordinary can be an indicator of PCOS. High cholesterol and triglycerides can cause other health issues in the body including heart disease. It is always advisable to get these tests done regularly so that treatment can be started quickly before anything serious happens.
- Glucose test: Higher glucose levels can be a sign of PCOS. Insulin resistance is a common PCOS symptom. These women are unable to breakdown glucose adequately because of which the level of glucose rises in the blood. Higher levels will indicate whether you have diabetes or not.
- Insulin: As mentioned earlier, 70% of women with PCOS are insulin resistant. Higher levels of androgen prevent the insulin from breaking down sugar. The body will produce more insulin in response. So higher than normal levels of insulin in the body is a PCOS symptom. Women who have PCOS and are insulin resistant are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.
- Thyroid hormones: The doctor will also test for the levels of thyroid hormones in your body because some of the symptoms of hypo- and hyperthyroidism are the similar to PCOS symptoms.
Other than the above tests, the doctor can also check for tumors or hyperplasia (too many cells can cause organ inflammation and swelling). The symptoms for them are also similar to PCOS symptoms.
These tests can help the doctor check the overall health of the patient and also detect signs and symptoms of PCOS. Some tests can also help the doctor understand whether there are any other health conditions that need to be treated.
Based on the PCOS symptoms detected, the doctor will be able to formulate a treatment plan to help keep you healthy and happy.
PCOS treatment
As there is no single cause behind PCOS, there no one single treatment for it. However in this article on PCOS Awareness, we would like to let you know that though there is no cure for PCOS yet, but PCOS symptoms can definitely be treated.
The treatment will depend on the symptoms that are predominant, the age, and whether the woman wants to get pregnant.
The following treatment plans are not all the possible plans, but they are the most used treatment options to cure PCOS symptoms. We are detailing the various treatments in brief in our article on PCOS Awareness.
Treatment for irregular periods
One of the main symptoms of PCOS is irregular or skipped periods. The hormonal imbalances that occur due to this irregularity can cause many other health problems. So doctors can recommend taking certain medication to help cure irregular periods like:
Birth control medication
Because of the increased level of androgen in the body, other hormones that work to maintain the menstrual cycle are inhibited. Some of these hormones are estrogen and progesterone. To bring about a normal hormone balance, doctors can recommend taking birth control medication that contain estrogen and progestin. These medications will help regulate the menstrual cycle, enable ovulation, reduce excess hair growth and acne, etc. These hormones are available in forms like pill, patch, and vaginal ring.
Metformin
This is a drug that is used in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. Because it can help in reducing insulin resistant, metformin is also used to treat PCOS. It has been found that metformin helps in reducing the blood sugar levels, aids in weight loss, and also helps bringing the menstrual cycle back on track.
One study has even found that using metformin along with diet and exercise can help in weight loss better than just doing diet and exercise alone.
Metformin not only helps in regulating the menstrual cycle but it also improves fertility. So if you are planning to seek treatment for only PCOS and don’t want to get pregnant at the moment, then ensure that you take suitable contraception to avoid getting pregnant due to metformin.
Anti-androgen medicines
These can help reduce the levels of androgen in the body and in turn bring back the estrogen and progesterone levels to normal. This will help get the period regular and will also help in reducing other PCOS symptoms like excessive hair growth, acne, etc.
Treatment for excessive hair growth
Excessive hair growth on the face and other parts of the body can cause women to feel self-conscious and in turn cause anxiety and depression. There are many ways to tackle the problem of excessive hair growth, and some of them are as follows:
Eflornithine
It is a prescription drug used to get rid of unwanted hair and also inhibit their growth. It is a cream that can be applied on the places from where you want to get rid of the hair. It is very effective, and the results can be observed after a few treatments. It can take about 4–8 weeks for the treatment to work.
Depilatories
These products help in breaking down the proteins in the hair to make them just fall out. They are available in gel, creams, and lotion base. You will need to follow the instructions on the package properly. Always conduct a patch test to ensure you are not allergic to any of the chemicals in the product.
Electrolysis or laser hair removal
Both these processes help to get rid of unwanted hair on the face and body. Electrolysis will remove each hair by sending an electric current to the root of the hair to destroy it. In laser hair removal, the hair follicles are destroyed. Several sessions are needed to remove all face and body hair. Some hair may even come back after the treatment, but they will be extremely fine and unnoticeable.
Birth control medication
Many contraceptives and birth control medication have hormones that can inhibit excessive hair growth and acne.
Spironolactone
Even after taking birth control medication if the hair growth is not inhibited, then the doctor may prescribe this drug for hair removal. It reduces the levels of androgens in the body. But if you are planning to get pregnant or are already pregnant, then avoid taking this medication as it can cause birth defects in the baby. Some other prescribed medications that work in a similar way are cyproterone acetate, flutamide, and finasteride.
Treatment for weight loss
Diet and exercise
The first treatment that you can do on your own to cure many of the PCOS symptoms is to control your weight through a healthy diet and regular exercise. It has been found that even losing just 5–10% of the body weight can help in regulating the menstrual cycle and reduce other PCOS symptoms.
Weight loss has many other added benefits like lowering blood pressure, insulin, and cholesterol levels, and it also reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
You can follow any diet that can help you lose weight and control PCOS symptoms. Some diets work better than others. It has been found that low-carbohydrate diets help in weight loss and lowering insulin levels in the body.
A low-glycemic diet has also been found effective for weight loss and curing PCOS symptoms. In this diet, the main source of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This diet has also been found to help regulate the menstrual cycle.
Eating 4–6 small portioned meals throughout the day rather than eating 3 large meals also helps in weight loss. This way of dieting also helps in controlling the blood sugar levels.
Avoiding processed food, junk food, fast food, and fatty food will also help in keeping the weight and blood sugar levels in check.
Exercising for just 30 minutes at least 3 times a week can help cure PCOS symptoms and also enable a healthy weight loss. Exercising also helps in bringing back hormones in balance and improve ovulation and insulin levels.
Rather than just dieting or exercising alone, a combination of the two has been found to be far more beneficial. The combination of diet and exercise will help in losing weight and will also reduce the risk of diabetes and heart diseases.
Medication
In severe obesity cases where other methods of losing weight are not showing the desired results, medication is given to help in weight loss. Orlistat is one such drug that stops the body from digesting and absorbing fat. This medication may also improve the cholesterol levels in the body.
Surgery
If all other methods of weight loss have not worked, then the doctor may suggest getting weight loss surgery in severe cases. The weight loss after the surgery will help regulate the menstrual cycle. The weight loss will also help cure PCOS symptoms and other life threating health conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc.
Treatment to improve fertility
Many women suffering from PCOS may find it difficult to conceive. Because of the irregularity of the periods along with the other PCOS symptoms can reduce the fertility. Women with PCOS can conceive without getting treatment for PCOS, but the pregnancy will come with its own risks. But with treatment, even women with PCOS can conceive and give birth to a healthy baby.
Clomiphene
This is a fertility drug that helps women suffering from PCOS conceive. But it has been known to increase the risk of getting pregnant with twins, triplets, and other multiples. Clomiphene helps in triggering ovulation.
Letrozole
Some doctors can use letrozole instead of clomiphene to stimulate ovulation. This medicine is mainly used for treating breast cancer. But it is also used as an “off label” drug to treat infertility in women with PCOS. “Off label” means that the manufacturer has not applied for a license to use the medication for fertility treatment. It is licensed for breast cancer treatment but not PCOS and fertility treatment. Doctors can sometimes prescribe such unlicensed medication if they think it will be a more effective route of treatment for the patient than traditional medication.
Gonadotropins
These hormones are given as injections. If taking oral medicines has not been working, then gonadotropin injections are recommended. But even these hormones can overstimulate the ovaries to release multiple eggs, resulting in a pregnancy with multiples.
Surgery
This is another option for fertility treatment if the other options have not worked. Doctors will perform a procedure called ovarian drilling to make the ovaries work better. The doctor will make a small incision on the belly and use a laparoscope with a needle to punch tiny holes into the ovary to wreck a small part of it. This procedure helps in restoring ovulation and also helps in bringing the hormones back to normal levels.
In vitro fertilization
In this procedure, the egg is fertilized outside and then later placed into the uterus. Many women with PCOS have found this method the most helpful to overcome the fertility problems caused by PCOS. Although this is one of the best methods, it is also very expensive.
Hence PCOS awareness, works a great deal in identifying issues in advance and helps taking care of certain issues which may arise from it in advance with the help of a doctor.
How to prevent problems from PCOS during pregnancy??
Women with PCOS have been found to have a higher risk of miscarriages, gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy), preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), postpartum preeclampsia (high blood pressure post delivery), C-section delivery, etc.
Even after the delivery, babies of women with PCOS are at a higher risk of being a heavy baby (macrosomia). These babies also spend more time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
You can lower the risks of PCOS-related problems during pregnancy by:
- Ensuring that you reach a healthy weight before conceiving
- Ensuring that your blood sugar levels are in the ideal range before getting pregnant
- Taking folic acid regularly. Consult your doctor to understand your folic acid requirements
Prior PCOS awareness can help to get ready in advance and to seek the necessary treatment to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Do PCOS symptoms go away after menopause??
The answer is YES and NO. PCOS just does not affect the menstrual cycle, it can affect many other systems of the body. Many women with PCOS who are closer to menopause have found that their menstrual cycles became more regular.
However, the PCOS-related hormonal imbalances do not change even after menopause. Because the hormones are still out of balance, the women may continue to have many of the PCOS symptoms.
As people get older, they are at a higher risk of health problems like diabetes, stroke, heart diseases, etc. These risks are even higher in women who have PCOS than women who do not have PCOS. Hence it is very important to spread PCOS awareness.
When to consult a doctor??
You should seek a doctor’s help if:
- Your periods have become irregular or you have missed your period
- You can observe PCOS symptoms like excessive hair growth and acne on your face and body
- You have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant even after a year of trying
- You have suddenly started gaining a lot of weight
- You are showing diabetes symptoms like blurry vision, intense thirst and hunger, sudden weight loss, etc.
If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, it is ideal to visit the doctor regularly to check for diabetes, blood pressure, and other PCOS-related health complications. Having PCOS awareness can help you seek the right treatment at the right time.
Final thoughts
As mentioned before, PCOS awareness is so low that around 70% of women with PCOS are unaware about their condition, hence it is essential to spread PCOS awareness. In such a case we will never say ignorance is bliss. The more women know about their condition, the better care they can take of themselves.
With PCOS awareness, women can tackle the PCOS-related symptoms head on. Knowing the enemy helps in developing a better war strategy; similarly, having PCOS awareness can help in developing a better strategy to tackle PCOS symptoms.
If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, then don’t think your world has just come crashing down. With so many treatment options, you can easily lead a healthy life. As 1 in every 15 women are affected by PCOS, you are not alone in the struggle. Many women go through it, and successfully overcome it.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you tackle most of the PCOS symptoms with ease. Pick an exercise that you enjoy and just eat healthy. This can reduce the effects of not just PCOS symptoms but also other health-related complications.
Now that you have gained PCOS awareness, spread it as much as possible. The main problem with PCOS is the lack of PCOS awareness. Educate your family and friends and keep spreading the word. We women have to stick together.
Palak Thakkar
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