Do you suddenly feel like everyone you know either has or knows someone who has PCOS or PCOD? You’re at the right place then, because we’re here to tell you exactly what PCOS is, what it does and how it can be treated.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is an acronym for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and was originally known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, named after two American gynecologists who described this condition in 1953. It’s sometimes also referred to as Polycystic Ovarian Disease or PCOD.
Today, it is a fairly common condition that’s on the rise globally and affects almost 10% of the female population. Family history, a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet that’s high in calories are some of the factors that affect this condition.
As the name suggests, PCOS affects a woman’s ovaries, usually causing them to become enlarged and develop multiple cysts. This causes a disturbance in the production of sex hormones, resulting in an increased production in both the female and male sex hormones (i.e. oestrogen and testosterone).
Symptoms of PCOS:
The most common symptom of this syndrome occurs in the form of menstrual problems such as irregular or heavy periods or in some cases, missed periods. PCOS is a hormonal problem and can cause infertility issues in women.
Other symptoms include acne, the presence of excessive hair on the face as well as the chest and nipples and thinning of the hair on the head.
Women suffering from PCOS are also more prone to weight gain, diabetes and endometrial cancer.
Diagnosing PCOS:
PCOS can be diagnosed when the total clinical picture fits into the criteria mentioned above. Not all symptoms and signs may be present in all cases. Blood tests looking at the levels of testosterone and oestrogen levels are helpful in confirming the diagnosis. A vaginal ultrasound should be definitely done to look at the ovaries and see if they contain many cysts.
Treatment for PCOS:
The treatment given depends on the concerns of the affected individual:
- The most effective way to treat PCOS is through weight loss. An exercise with diet plan is prescribed. Increasing physical activity is essential for improved insulin tolerance and reducing fat levels. Losing weight for women with PCOS can be difficult, but it’s seen that even a small amount of weight loss can help correct the hormonal imbalance.
- Birth control or progesterone pills help restore a normal menstrual cycle.
- For women looking to get pregnant, the focus is on regular ovulation and insulin-sensitising drugs, Metformin and Clomiphene, may be given to achieve this.
- If none of the above work, surgical procedures like laparoscopic ovarian surgery is an option and has been known to see fairly high success rates of up to 80%.
So far, there’s really no known reason known why PCOS occurs. As mentioned before, family history and an unhealthy lifestyle contribute to PCOS. A healthy diet, regular exercise and periodic check ups are the best ways of staying healthy.
Photograph by Sneha Kar
