Guide to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

A whopping 10 million people are affected globally with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD). According to the latest research findings, one in every four young women suffers from PCOS or PCOD. According to a study, the percentage of adolescents suffering from this condition is 9.13% belonging to the age group of 18 to 45 years old.

Maintenance of a sedentary lifestyle along with high consumption of junk food is two of the main factors leading to the development of this condition. Continue to read to know more about how PCOS can affect your way of living.

What is PCOS?

It is a condition that affects a woman’s hormonal levels. In this condition, the female ovaries tend to produce the male hormone more as compared to the female hormone. This is a condition that consists of a group of symptoms that affects the ovaries and thereby, the process of ovulation. The three main features include-

Development of cysts in the ovaries
Production of male hormones in high levels
Irregular periods

Causes of PCOS

Although there are no exact factors that contribute to the development of PCOS. Doctors believe the theory that high production of male hormones prevents the ovaries from producing hormones and making eggs normally. Although there is no scientific backing to the following, some of the reasons that can increase your chances of getting this syndrome are-

Hereditary- Your family history can make you susceptible to getting this disorder
Resistant to insulin- Women whose insulin levels are higher than normal due to the resistance to the hormone are more likely to suffer from PCOS.
Inflammation- Being overweight contributes to inflammation which increases your chances of suffering from PCOS.

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms you will experience if you are suffering from PCOS are-

Heavy bleeding- Your menstruation flow can be heavier than normal as the uterine lining takes a longer time to form.
Irregular periods- There is a very high chance of getting irregular periods as the uterine lining is less likely to shed due to a lack of ovulation.
Overgrowth of hair- As the body produces more of the male hormone, women tend to grow hair on the face, back, belly and chest.
Acne- The skin is oilier due to the higher production of male hormone which can cause acne.
Weight gain- Being obese or overweight increases the chances of PCOS.
Skin darkening- On the neck, in the groin, and under the breasts dark patches of skin can form.
Headaches- Due to hormonal change, you are likely to suffer from headaches.

Now that you know about how PCOS can form and about its symptoms, let’s have a look at how this condition can affect you.

Also Read: Home Remedies for Ovarian Cysts.

Complications

PCOS can affect fertility and other aspects of your wellbeing. Some of them are discussed below-

Infertility- PCOS is one of the major factors that contribute to infertility in women. The reason is that it restricts your ovulation process (release of the egg) needed for fertilization. Hence, no release of eggs indicates no fertilization.
Metabolic syndrome- Obesity contributes to PCOS. Once the condition has developed in obese or overweight women, this increases the risk of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, low levels of “good” cholesterol. Collectively, all this condition as a whole is known as a metabolic syndrome that can increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes and cardiac arrest.
Sleep apnea- As obesity and overweight are one of the biggest contributors to developing PCOS, this causes temporary and recurring breaks in breathing while asleep.
Depression and anxiety- Many women suffering from PCOS tend to suffer from depression and anxiety.
Endometrial cancer- Endometriosis is the uterine lining. Metabolic syndrome along with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes increases the chances of endometrial cancer.

Treatment

There is no definite treatment option available for treating PCOS. The treatment is mainly focussed on managing the symptoms of an individual. After proper diagnosis by the doctor through a blood test for hormonal changes and pelvic exam, doctors can recommend a hysterectomy.

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of part or the whole of the uterus. The surgery can be performed in two ways-

Conservative ‘open’ treatment
Most advanced laparoscopic hysterectomy

Laparoscopic hysterectomy

The difference between ‘open’ surgery and laparoscopy is in the length of the incisions. In the open surgery, the doctor makes a cut of 6-12 inches of length while in a laparoscopic procedure, the length is 1-2 inches. The person undergoing laparoscopic treatment is injected with anesthesia before the procedure so that they are not awake or able to feel any pain during the procedure.

Benefits of laparoscopic surgery

The chances of major blood loss are reduced as the size of incisions done during the laparoscopic technique is almost between 1-2 inches which is much smaller than the traditional method.
As the wound is much smaller in the laparoscopic method than the conservative method, the healing is much faster. Additionally, the wound is bandaged with sutures which ensures a faster recovery.
People often avoid surgery as it leaves behind major scars near the wound. But there is almost no visible scarring after a laparoscopic technique.
The risk of infection near the wound incision is reduced to almost zero after a laparoscopic procedure. Although in some cases infections may occur if the
This is a daycare procedure which means you’ll be discharged on the same day after thorough monitoring by the doctor.

Minor complications post-treatment include infection and skin irritation at the incision. These complications are suggestive of the fact that you need to seek medical help immediately!