What is PCOS
nPolycystic ovarian syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS occurs in women who have irregular hormone levels. They produce much higher levels of testosterone and other male hormones. This creates a hormonal imbalance which causes them to have inconsistent periods (periods which come after 30 days) or skip months in between periods. Because women need to have regular and sufficient periods to get pregnant, women with PCOS have a harder time getting and staying pregnant.nnPCOS affects women aged 15-44. At least 2.2 and up to 26.7% of women in this age group have this hormonal imbalance.What causes PCOS?
nThe exact causes of PCOS are not completely known or understood. However, since these women produce higher than normal levels of all male hormones, including testosterone, doctors believe that this factor prevents their bodies from making adequate levels of the female hormones necessary to produce healthy eggs and ovulate regularly.nnSome proven causes of PCOS are genetic. However, diabetes and inflammation of organs and joints (especially those in the reproductive tract) are thought to be major trigger factors, as is the excessive production of the male hormone androgen.How do women know if they have PCOS?
nPCOS has many symptoms. These symptoms usually appear when these women start to menstruate (get their first period) as teenagers. However, some women don’t know they have PCOS until they start gaining large amounts of weight in a relatively short period of time, or have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. A woman knows she has PCOS if she experiences one or more of the following:- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Hair growth
- Acne
- Rapid weight gain
- Male pattern baldness
- Darker skin color
- Severe and chronic headaches
What do women with PCOS do for treatment?
nInfertility or the ability to conceive and stay pregnant is a common issue for women suffering from PCOS. No medical test exists that gynecologists can use to determine for certain if a woman is suffering from PCOS, so they ask these women probing questions regarding their menstrual cycle (periods), and weight. They may do a physical exam on these women to check for excess hair growth, signs of diabetes, and acne.nnOnce a woman has been diagnosed with PCOS and infertility, she can pursue many treatment options. These include:- Changes in lifestyle
- Medicines
- Lifestyle and home remedies
- Combination of birth control pills
- Progestin therapy
- Clomid
- Femara
- Metformin (an effective medicine for treating diabetes and prolonging the average human lifespan)
- Gonadotropin
- Birth control pills
- Spironolactone
- Vaniqa
- Electrolysis
