Watch out unwanted hairs and extra weight around your waist

“It could be Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome”

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

• Women with infrequent menstrual periods, increased growth of hair on face, chest, stomach etc are likely to have PCOS

• Life style management and weight management can help manage PCOS

• IVF specialist is of utmost importance in controlling this syndrome in order to achieve pregnancy

PCOS

The Pleasure of mother hood and bringing a new life into existence is undoubtedly the greatest blessing to every woman.  Every mother trained their daughters in teens to beware of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which could get in the way of a pregnancy. Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common total body endocrine disease that affects women of reproductive age from puberty to menopause. It affects approximately 10% of women in the reproductive age group.

Both males and females produce hormones called androgens, referred to as male hormones, which play a role in sexual functioning of the body. In girls with PCOS, the ovaries produce higher levels of androgens than normal, and this interferes with egg development and release. Some of the eggs develop into cysts which are little sacs filled with liquid and instead of being released during ovulation, these cysts build up in the ovaries and even get enlarged , hence the main polycystic ovaries or Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Women with infrequent menstrual periods or irregular bleeding are likely to have PCOS. Increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes acne, oily skin, or dandruff may be some of the signs associated with PCOS. Infertility or inabilities to get pregnant because of not ovulating, weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist are part of the Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Early diagnosis is very important; Infertility specialist is of utmost importance in controlling this syndrome. Most of these patients need help from an infertility/ IVF specialist in order to achieve pregnancy or regularize their periods.

If PCOS is not diagnosed early and treated properly it can lead to problems like type 2 diabetes , high cholesterol, high blood pressure, abnormal bleeding from the uterus, and very occasionally cancer too. The most important step is screening the condition and PCOS can be easily diagnosed through Blood tests and Ultrasound and therefore the chances of having serious side effects are reduced.

Fortunately today PCOS can be treated using various medications and other techniques like weight loss and exercise. These are very effective in lessening many of the health conditions associated with this disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Apart from this medications are also available which counter the effects of excess androgens in a woman’s body.

Below are the methods commonly used to treat PCOS:

Life style management and weight optimization - Maintaining a healthy weight is another way women can help manage PCOS. Since obesity is common with PCOS, a healthy diet and physical activity help maintain a healthy weight. Even loss of 10% of body weight can help make a woman's cycle more regular and increase the chances of ovulation by 25%.

Birth control pills - For women who don’t want to become pregnant, birth control pills can regulate menstrual cycles, reduce male hormone levels, and help to clear acne.

Fertility Medications - The main fertility problem for women with PCOS is the lack of ovulation. Clomiphene (pills) and Gonadotropins (injectables) can be used to stimulate the ovary to ovulate. IVF is sometimes recommended to control the chance of having triplets or more. Metformin can be taken with fertility medications and helps to make PCOS women ovulate on lower doses of medication.

Medicine for increased hair growth - If a woman is not trying to get pregnant there are some other medicines that may reduce hair growth. Spironolactone is a blood pressure medicine that has been shown to decrease the testosterone effect on hair. Cyproterone acetate, is another medication that blocks this effect. Both of these medicines can affect the development of a male fetus and should not be taken if pregnancy is possible. Other non-medical treatments such as electrolysis or laser hair removal are effective at getting rid of hair. A woman with PCOS can also take hormonal treatment to keep new hair from growing.

Surgery - Although it is not recommended as the first course of treatment, surgery called ovarian drilling is available to induce ovulation. This is done via laparoscopy or key-hole surgery. The ovaries are punctured with a small needle carrying an electric current or using laser to voluntarily breech the ovarian capsule. This surgery can lower male hormone levels and help with ovulation.

Dr. Shobha Gupta