Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects how a woman’s ovaries function.
The three main features of PCOS are:
Irregular cycles — which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
Excess androgen — high levels of male hormones, which may result in physical signs such as too much facial or body hair
Polycystic ovaries — your ovaries expand and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that encircle the eggs (the term is misleading you do not have cysts in ovaries)
You may be diagnosed with PCOS if you have at least two of these features.
Book an online appointment with DR. Kiran Thorat for gynecology-related issues
Polycystic Ovaries
Polycystic ovaries comprise several benign follicles that are up to 8 mm in size.
The follicles are underdeveloped sacs in which eggs grow. In PCOS, these sacs are not able to release an egg.
The actual number of women having PCOS is unknown, but since it’s very common, statistics say that 1 in every 10 women has it.
Surprisingly, more than half of these women do not experience any symptoms.
Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
If you have any signs or symptoms of PCOS, they will become apparent during your late teens or early 20s.
They can include:
Inconsistent periods or no periods at all
Difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation
Too much hair growth usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
Weight gain
Oily skin or acne
PCOS is associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life, like type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels.
What Causes Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)?
The actual cause of PCOS is not discovered, but it often runs in genes. It is related to unusual hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin. What is insulin? It is a hormone that is responsible for controlling sugar levels in the body.
Many women with PCOS are immune to the action of insulin in their bodies and produce higher levels of insulin to counter this. This causes the increased production and activity of hormones like testosterone. Being obese also accelerates the amount of insulin produced.
Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
There’s no definite cure for PCOS, but the symptoms can be dealt with. Book an appointment with a doctor if you think you may have the condition.
If you have PCOS and you are overweight, following a healthy diet and losing weight can make some symptoms better.
You may find medicines to treat symptoms like excessive hair growth, irregular periods and fertility problems.
If fertility medicines do not work for you, a simple surgical procedure called Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling (LOD) can be done.
LOD involves using heat or a laser to destroy the tissue in the ovaries that are producing androgens, like testosterone.
With proper treatment, most women with PCOS can conceive.