Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS/PCOD, is a medical condition affecting the ovaries. It is one of the most common disorders among women. PCOS affects around 10% women in the reproductive age.
What happens in PCOD?
Around 25% women have cysts in their ovaries. However, about 10% of them suffer from PCOD. A women with polycystic ovary syndrome:
- Develop multiple cysts or follicles on the ovary surface.
- These cysts are fluid sacs and are not cancerous.
- The ovum or egg is not matured and released.
- The ovaries usually start producing more testosterone, male hormone.
Signs and symptoms of PCOD
Many symptoms are associated with PCOS. Some of them are:
- Irregular menstrual period
- Absence of menstrual period
- Unexplained weight gain
- Acne
- Drak skin around neck, breasts, armpits.
- Hirsutism- Excessive growth of hair on the body and the face
- Difficulty in conceiving
- Excessive hair thinning
All the symptoms might not manifest in all the women. Different individuals will have different signs and of different severity. The symptoms of PCOS usually develop in the teenage or late twenties.
The long term complication
PCOS has been associated with other health problems. Some of the long term complications are:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart diseases
- Stroke
- High cholesterol
- Cancer of the womb
- Sleep apnoea
- Depression
- Poor self esteem
Possible causes of PCOD
The reason for developing polycystic ovary syndrome is still unknown. Some of the possible causes of this condition are:
- family history
- higher level of insulin
- overweight
- increased levels of luteinising hormone
Diagnosis of PCOD
The disorder is not diagnosed using a single test. Once the symptoms manifest the doctor might ask you to take the following tests:
Blood test: The blood test is used to check the hormone levels which includes the luteinising and testosterone hormones. This helps in ruling out the possibility of other hormonal problems.
Ultrasound scan: The scanning is carried out to check the ovary surface. The reports will show enlarged ovaries or the presence of cysts in them.
Treatment for PCOD
Once the problem has been detected the following common treatments can be carried out:
- Medication
- Weight control
- Dietary changes
- Lifestyle changes
