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.
Stressing on the importance of early diagnosis Dr. Shobha emphasizes,
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.