Our hormones control our body — when the hormonal levels aren’t right it causes many side effects. PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder. If you have this condition, you may recognize symptoms such as irregular periods, increased growth of facial hair, and difficulty in weight management.
The Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, AIIMS, released a report that says about 20-25% of Indian women of childbearing age are suffering from PCOS. Many women may have severe side-effects even after going through PCOS Treatment. On the other hand, as many as 25% of women of childbearing age have PCOS but do not experience any side effects until they begin trying to conceive. These women struggle to become pregnant due to menstrual/ovulation irregularity and are at higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy. Thankfully, there are natural and medical ways to improve fertility and to improve your chances.
Lifestyle changes can have positive effects on many women. For women who still suffer from infrequent ovulation despite lifestyle modifications require fertility medications. The good news is that IVF is proved to be a highly effective and successful technique for these women. Women who attempt to conceive using IVF have up to a 70% chance of becoming pregnant. For most women, an accurate diagnosis and suitable treatment plan is the first step to regain control of the syndrome.
Table of Contents: Page Navigation
1. What is PCOS treatment?
2. What are the causes and symptoms of PCOS?
3. What are my chances of conceiving with PCOS?
4. How to evaluate the best doctor for IVF Treatment while dealing with PCOS?
Know all about it from the hospital with the most trusted IVF Facility- Neelkanth
1. What is PCOS treatment?
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects different women in different ways and to varying extents. It is characterized by multiple cysts in the ovaries.
In normal condition, a woman’s ovaries prepare several follicles which will grow to become ready for ovulation but just one will mature enough to release its egg (the dominant). PCOS causes ‘follicular arrest’, as a result, while many eggs begin to develop, they stop growing while they are still too small and immature to be released. Due to the imbalance on the hormonal level, these eggs do not reach maturity and so ovulation does not take place and the follicle may remain as a cyst.
The body produces excess levels of androgens, or male hormones and this affects a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, and appearance.
2. What are the causes and symptoms of PCOS?
Causes of PCOS
Although the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, there do appear to be connections with family history, insulin resistance, and lifestyle.
Low-grade chronic inflammation: Low-grade chronic inflammation may play a critical role in the pathophysiology of PCOS. Inflammation is also related to prominent features of PCOS such as insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases
Continuous release of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, acute phase proteins, and adipokines affects the inflammatory condition associated with obesity in women with PCOS, possibly contributing to insulin resistance and other long-term cardiometabolic risk factors.
Hereditary factor: It’s not one single gene but multiple genes responsible for PCOS. Immediate female relatives of women with PCOS have up to a 50% chance of having PCOS.
Insulin and androgens: It is androgen excess and not insulin resistance that is directly responsible for the signs and symptoms of PCOS. Overproduction of androgens leads to a heterogeneous range of symptoms and is found associated with increased metabolic and cardiovascular morbidity.
Symptoms of PCOS
Typical symptoms of PCOS are listed below:
Period irregularity: A woman suffering from PCOS may experience irregular periods outside of the normal menstrual cycle. Some experience extremely heavy bleeds or unpredictable intermittent bleeding.
Acne: The higher level of androgens can increase the size of the oil-producing glands on the skin. As a result, women with PCOS also tend to have more severe and unresponsive acne.
Hair growth and scalp hair loss: Many women with PCOS have problems with excess hair growth on their bodies. Areas of hair growth differ and may include darkening and/or thickening of facial hair, the hair on the arms, legs, abdomen, back, chest and an increase in pubic hair. Another symptom is hair loss or thinning of the scalp hair in a ‘male-like’ pattern due to higher levels of androgen hormone.
Sudden or unexplained continuous weight gain and high levels of cholesterol Research has found that the hormones that control appetite and hunger may not be regulated as effectively with women with PCOS. Meaning some women are more likely to gain weight and may have trouble losing weight. In fact, up to 80% of women with this condition are overweight. Additionally, cholesterol and PCOS go hand in hand. Approximately 70 percent of women with PCOS have high levels of triglycerides or cholesterol. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure conditions is even higher if you are also overweight or obese. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that weight loss and lifestyle changes are required for managing PCOS.
If you experience any of these symptoms and find that they bother you, consult a qualified Gynaecologist and PCOS Specialist.
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