PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder that occurs in women who are of reproductive age. It affects the hormonal levels of women and forms cysts in the ovary. However, many women with PCOS do not have cysts. PCOS can delay or stop your periods and make them hard to predict. It can cause problems while conceiving and increase the risk of getting health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. Before starting this PCOS guide, let’s understand PCOS a bit more.
PCOS causes hormonal imbalance mostly in reproductive hormones. This imbalance affects the menstrual cycle and causes a delay. The hormones that are affected by PCOS include androgens, insulin, and progesterone. While it reduces the production of progesterone and makes the body un-reactive to insulin, the production of androgen (which is a male hormone) increases.
PCOS is an extremely common syndrome in women because of the modern lifestyle and food. Therefore it is not something to be afraid of. We have created a complete PCOS guide with the causes, symptoms, treatment and management.
Here is our complete guide to PCOS:
PCOS causes:
While the exact causes of PCOS are still unknown, there are several factors that contribute to it.
- Excess of insulin production: The pancreas produces insulin which helps the cell to use the sugar that it absorbs from the bloodstream. This sugar is the body’s primary source of energy. However, if your body becomes resistant, the production of insulin will increase. This in turn will also increase the androgen production in your body which can cause difficulty with ovulation.
- Low-grade Inflammation: Low-grade inflammation is the white blood cells’ production of substances that fight infection. Studies have shown that PCOS also exhibits low-grade inflammation that increases the production of androgens.
- Excessive production of androgens: When ovaries produce excessive amounts of androgen it can cause ovulation problems, hirsutism (or growth of hair on face, chest, and back) and acne.
- Heredity: PCOs might be hereditary. If it runs in the family it can contribute to the condition.
PCOS symptoms:
- Irregular periods or periods stopping
- Heavy bleeding and cramps during periods
- Irregular ovulation
- Difficulty in pregnancy
- Hirsutism or excessive hair growth on face, chest, and back
- Hair fall
- Acne or oily skin
- Weight gain
- Cyst formation in the ovary
- Headaches
Complications:
- Infertility
- Gestational diabetes
- Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
- Miscarriage or premature birth
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (This is a severe liver inflammation caused by fat accumulation in the liver)
- Metabolic syndrome (an accumulation of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol or triglyceride levels that increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases)
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- Sleep apnea
- Depression, anxiety and eating disorders
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Endometrial cancer
PCOS diagnosis:
There is no test like blood tests to definitively diagnose PCOS. However, doctors ask for medical history, discuss details of your menstrual cycle, and measure your weight before moving on to physical examination. Physical examination usually includes checking for excess hair growth and acne following which these tests may be recommended:
- Pelvic exam: The pelvic exam is usually manually conducted by the doctor to examine for any lumps, growths, or abnormalities.
- Blood test: This process involves testing your blood for hormonal levels. The tests can keep out possible causes or menstrual problems or excessive production of androgen that have similarities to PCOS. Additional blood tests have to be done to check for glucose tolerance and cholesterol.
- Ultrasound: Ultrasound tests are the most common when it comes to checking for PCOS. Regular ultrasound tests involve checking for cysts while your bladder is full. Doctors often go for a transvaginal ultrasound that involves the insertion of a wand-like device called transducer inside the vagina. The sound waves emitted by the transducer help create an image on the screen that helps the doctor check for abnormalities.
Your doctor might suggest additional tests if you are diagnosed with PCOS. They include:
- Regular check-ups to check blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- Screening for depression and anxiety
- Screening for obstructive sleep apnea
PCOS Treatment:
PCOS treatment usually focuses on dealing with individual concerns of infertility, hirsutism, acne or obesity. Apart from medication, PCOS patients are also advised lifestyle change.(Also Must Read- How to Reverse PCOS).
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are necessary in order to treat PCOS. A low-calorie diet with physical exercise is important. Even a slight reduction in body weight can improve your condition and make the medications more effective. You can also sign up with Instafitness to get your customized PCOS diet plan and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Medications
- Combination birth control pills: Pills with estrogen and progestin reduce androgen production and regulate estrogen. Regulating your hormones can lower the risk of endometrial cancer and stop excessive bleeding, hirsutism, and acne.
- Progestin therapy: Taking progestin for 10 to 14 days every one to two months can regulate your periods and protect you from endometrial cancer. However, progestin therapy doesn’t improve androgen levels or prevent pregnancy.
To help you ovulate, your doctor might recommend:
- Clomiphene (Clomid): This oral anti-estrogen medication is taken during the first part of your menstrual cycle.
- Letrozole (Femara): This breast cancer treatment can work to stimulate the ovaries.
- Metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet, others).This oral medication for type 2 diabetes perks up insulin resistance and reduces insulin levels.
- These hormone medications are given by injection.
To cut excessive hair growth, doctors at times propose:
- Birth control pills. These pills decrease androgen production that leads to excessive hair growth.
- Spironolactone (Aldactone): This drug obstructs the effect of androgen on the skin. It isn’t recommended if you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant because it can cause a birth defect
- Eflornithine (Vaniqa). This cream can help in reducing excessive hair growth on the face in women
Conclusion:
PCOS is a common syndrome and can be treated easily. Hope this PCOS guide will surely help you to control and in treatment of your PCOS condition. However, you should remember that there is no permanent treatment and it may relapse.