Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in English Health by Dr Kinjal Shah books and stories PDF | Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a multisystem disorder that affects mainly women of reproductive age (15-45 years age group). In PCOS, there are various metabolic disturbances & a wide variety of clinical features.

PCOS mainly affects women’s ovaries. Ovary is a reproductive organ that produces important hormones like Estrogen & Progesterone-these hormones regulate the menstrual cycle. Ovary also produces a small amount of Androgen that is a male hormone. So now you can understand better, why there is menstrual disturbances & man like hair growth on body & face in PCOS.

Ovary's main work is to release eggs, they release a single mature egg from alternate ovaries each month. Ovulation is the term used for the release of an egg from the ovary. This egg when fertilized by male sperm, pregnancy occurs. So the most common problem in PCOS is infertility.

A cluster of symptoms that affect Ovaries & Ovulation known as PCOS. So the main features of PCOS are.

-Cysts in Ovaries

-High levels of Androgens (male hormone)

-Irregular menses/periods

Insulin resistance is more commonly seen in PCOS. In PCOS, cells can’t use insulin properly, so there’s an increase in the body’s demand for Insulin. This extra Insulin triggers ovaries to produce more androgens (male hormone). Obesity/Overweight is the reason for insulin resistance. Diabetes mainly occurs due to Insulin resistance & obesity.

Why it is called PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)??

In PCOS, many fluid-filled sacs grow inside of the ovaries. Polycystic refers to many cysts. These sacs are follicles that contain small immature eggs in each of them, single follicles with a single egg. These eggs never become mature enough to make ovulation. So these are going to increase inside ovaries & situated peripherally in ovaries. It looks like a queens necklace when seen under Ultrasound. That’s the important diagnostic feature of PCOS.

Why PCOS occurs??

Causes of PCOS still not founded but many things can trigger PCOS that we can know.

-Heredity- It can run in families. You can have more chance to get PCOS if your mother, sister or grandmother had it before

-Stress- Stress also plays an important role in PCOS. If you have high levels of stress then you can get hormonal imbalance, PCOS easily

-Eating Junk foods/bakery items- Your unhealthy diet habit gets you more closer to PCOS

-Obesity- If you are obese/overweight, PCOS catch u soon & vice a versa, if you are suffering from PCOS, it makes you gain extra weight easily

-Depression/Anxiety- If you are suffering from depression/anxiety, it’s obvious that you destroy your healthy food habits, so the chance of PCOS is more in this kind of woman

-Diabetics- Girls/women who are suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, PCOS has seen in these due to insulin resistance

What happens in PCOS/Symptoms of PCOS??


Irregular Menses/Periods:Irregular or absent periods are common.

Heavy Menses: sometimes the inner layer of the uterus becomes that much thick (endometrial hyperplasia), it leads to heavy menses.

Hirsutism: Excess male hair type of hair growth over the face, over the upper lip, chin, breast & thigh, due to increase level of androgen (male hormone).

Obesity: Central obesity more common where waist: hip ratio increases. Weight gain is mainly due to insulin resistance/unhealthy diet habits.

No Dysmenorrhea: In PCOS, ovulation doesn’t happen, so there’s no pain while menses.

Infertility: More common with PCOS due to anovulation, fertilization not possible.

Skin Pigmentation: Thick pigmented skin over the nape of the neck, inner thigh & armpit.

Acne/Pimple: Due to the excess level of androgen, the skin becomes oily & leads to Acne.

Male pattern baldness: Scalp hair becomes thinner & falls out more easily.

Disturbed Sleep: Breathing difficulty while sleeping more common in obese.

Depression/Anxiety: Due to the negative effects of PCOS symptoms like excess hair growth, acne, infertility, obesity, mental/emotional disturbance/breakdown occur, leads to depression/anxiety.

Endometrial Cancer: Normally in Menses, there’s the shredding of uterine linings. But in PCOS, anovulation common. So there’s thickening of uterine linings (endometrial hyperplasia). That can lead to endometrial cancer also.

X Syndrome: In PCOS, there’s diabetes, hypertension along with hyperlipidemia, & cardiovascular disease can be common. This cluster of disorders is called X syndrome.

How can we diagnose PCOS?
Normally PCOS goes undiagnosed till it causes an impact on the body like excess hair growth or excess weight gain or when women face infertility after marriage.

When you consult a Gynecologist, they ask your detailed medical history for clinical features & family history. Along with that

Blood tests-to rule out Diabetes, High cholesterol, insulin resistance.

Ultrasound-confirmatory test that finds polycystic ovary. Along with that ovarian size, abnormal follicles & their size can be found.

Hormonal Assay- to see disturbances of reproductive hormones like estrogen, progesterone & androgens & other hormones like Thyroid, prolactin level.

What are the consequences of PCOS on Pregnancy?
PCOS mainly leads to infertility. This is the main complication. You can overcome this with the help of a Gynecologist. After you manage to get pregnant, your problems can’t come to end here. PCOS women have a higher chance of

-Abortion/Miscarriage

-Gestational Diabetes

-Premature Delivery

-Hypertension(high BP) in Pregnancy

-Disturbance in Cholesterol/lipids

-PCOS in subsequent life

But you don’t worry, with the help of proper medical care & advice of Gynecologist, you can carry on your pregnancy smoothly.

for more details about food habits and Do and Don'ts in PCOS, read the next article.
You can contact me for Tele counselling..!!