PCOS : Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

PCOS

 

PCOS is a metabolic and endocrine disorder in females, which affects hormonal levels. Due to PCOS, the patients suffer from lower stomach pain, difficulties in urination, irregular periods and hormonal imbalance. 1 in every 10 women is suffering from PCOS. It is a new gynaecological epidemic as PCOS patients are on rising. This not only affects the ovary but the overall outlook of the body whether that’s your weight or your sleep cycle. The matter of the situation is that 50% of women are left undiagnosed. This is a serious issue and every woman around this globe should take a look at it! This blog is all about PCOS, so let’s take a dig! 

 

PCOS Causes

 

PCOS is also known as Stein-leventhal syndrome. According to research 70% of women who suffer from PCOS are due to altered lifestyles. Hormonal imbalance is another cause for the same, which leads to PCOS. Lack of sleep, physical activity and overweight women tend to suffer more from PCOS. When we are sitting for a long time we tend to put a lot of pressure on the lower abdomen which further increases the risk of PCOS. Clothes should be comfortable, even if you are an office going women try to wear clothes that don’t put extra pressure on your abdomen. Genetic reason could be a cause of PCOS as this genes get expressed due to following reasons:

 

-Poor lifestyle

-Sedentary lifestyle

-Wrong diet 

-Stress

-Lack of good quality sleep

 

Insulin resistance is another culprit. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas which is responsible for glucose metabolism. Insulin picks up the glucose from the blood and stores it in the form of glycogen. This helps to remove excess glucose from the body thus maintaining a balance. The pancreas is not able to produce enough Insulin and results in insulin resistance PCOS. There is another cause of insulin resistance, the body is able to produce enough insulin but somehow it cannot pick glucose from the blood. As the counter attack body tends to produce more insulin and this results in male pattern hormone excess. 

There is new research that the cause of PCOS is constant low-grade inflammation response. Inflammation is a response to injury that could be internal or external but it’s temporary as injury is. In case of PCOS there is constant inflammation. 

This could be due to lifestyle, stress, being overweight etc. 

There are many causes as PCOS is a complex disease and thus complex it gets if not taken care of. 

 

PCOD vs PCOS

 

Fact check, PCOD and PCOS are similar conditions as per medical data. Gynaecologists generally use PCOS . PCOD is a milder condition that is caused by a bad lifestyle and leads to lack of ovulation whereas PCOS is a condition that is severe and is generally associated with absence of ovulation. Now-a-days gynaecologists use PCOS for both the conditions. 

 

Symptoms of PCOS 

 

It’s important for every woman to understand the symptoms and examine the same. A gynaecologist can help you identify them. If you have symptoms that are related to those mentioned below, you must consult your gynaecologist. This is important as an early diagnosis can help you better as far as management of PCOS is concerned. 

 

-Problems in the period. If your periods are irregular, it is the first sign to go to gynaecologist clinics. Ideally your cycle should not be more than 35 days and less than 21. So if it’s early or too late,consult a gynaecologist. 

 

-Weight gain/inability to lose weight. Obesity or more BMI is another important reason for PCOS. The good thing is you can maintain a healthy weight by a closely regulated diet and exercises. Online consultation with your gynaecologist can help in your busy schedule. 

 

-Signs of male pattern hormone excess which results in acne, scalp hair loss, increased body hair especially on face. Husky voice and body acne are other symptoms. 

 

-Gynaecologist have reported that most of the women came up with a problem in conceiving. Keep on reading as there is a special section for PCOS and pregnancy. 

 

-It is mostly seen in PCOS patients there is a sleep disturbance and that could lead to other health conditions like fatigue and mental stress. Many women snore and night awakenings increase leading to insomnia. 

 

These are the common symptoms which can be easily identified. 

 

Complications of PCOS

 

PCOS is a complex disorder and so are its complications. If left undiagnosed this can lead to following complications:

 

-Increased risk of endometrial cancer 

-50% women are at the risk of diabetes (type 2 diabetes) 

-Hypertension 

-Infertility can occur

-Other health conditions like obesity 

 

Diagnosis of PCOS

 

Diagnosis is very important in case of PCOS. One thing to keep in mind is that the diagnosis is based on the symptoms that you observe. So a woman should keep a regular check on their body. Periods, body hair, weight etc. Visit your gynaecologist on a regular basis. 

 

The diagnostic method used to determine whether this women has PCOS or not is 

Rotterdam criteria. This includes three symptoms. 

 

-Irregular periods

-Signs of male hormones excess

-Polycystic ovary on the ultrasound

 

Any of the 2 signs and symptoms shown can confirm the diagnosis. Ultrasound is a reliable test to confirm PCOS. More than 20 cysts found can confirm the diagnosis. Gynaecologist clinics can help you with this. 

 

PCOS and Pregnancy

 

Can I get pregnant if I have PCOS? 

 

This is a common question most women ask and here is the answer. The answer is very much yes. This is a common cause of infertility but a treatable cause of fertility. It just means that you need a little more assistance and right guidance. Fertility specialists and gynaecologists can help you better. The other question is why is it difficult for PCOS women to get pregnant? 

Here is the answer, this is simply because of irregular cycles and it is difficult to track the ovulation. 

Ovulation kits can help, apart from that ultrasound or follicular kits can help. The most important thing is to track your cycle. You can use various other natural methods like noticing the signs and symptoms while you’re ovulating like abdominal pain, sexual drive etc. 

 

Management of PCOS

 

It’s high time to think about health! A gynaecologist is your new best friend, consult them through this virtual world so that they can help you monitor PCOS. 

A proper diet plan based on the following principles can help you during PCOS :

 

-Adequate nutrition is very crucial. It is found that a proper vegan diet can help you reduce PCOS symptoms. It is important to pay attention that it doesn’t contain dairy products, packed food etc. It contains complex carbohydrates which help to reduce insulin spikes and maintain optimum blood sugar levels. Plant based protein and low fat products. This will help in improvement in insulin resistance and weight loss 

 

– Exercise time is important to reduce and control PCOS. This includes lunges, squats or planks and it’s always good to have some strength training sessions. It is found that PCOS patients tend to have vitamin D deficiency. So include some sun time in your routine. 

 

Make sure to have a good rest. Your bed timings are right. Sleep tight! 

 

Do breathing exercises, meditation, savasana. 

 

Follow the above methods to control your PCOS. Consult your gynaecologist for better guidance. 

 

Synopsis

 

PCOS is also known as Stein-leventhal syndrome. According to research 70% of women who suffer from PCOS are due to altered lifestyles. Hormonal imbalance is another cause for the same, which leads to PCOS. Lack of sleep, physical activity and overweight women tend to suffer more from PCOS. Genetic reason could be a cause of PCOS as this genes get expressed due to following reasons:

 

-Poor lifestyle

-Sedentary lifestyle

-Wrong diet 

-Stress

-Lack of good quality sleep

 

Insulin resistance is another culprit. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas which is responsible for glucose metabolism. It’s important to understand the difference between PCOD and PCOS. 

PCOD is a milder condition that is caused by a bad lifestyle and leads to lack of ovulation whereas PCOS is a condition that is severe and is generally associated with absence of ovulation. Now-a-days gynaecologists use PCOS for both the conditions. Pregnancy and PCOS is a question that is asked by many women who are suffering from PCOS. The other that is asked is about difficulty in pregnancy during PCOS. Here is the answer, this is simply because of irregular cycles and it is difficult to track the ovulation. 

Ovulation kits can help, apart from that ultrasound or follicular kits can help. The most important thing is to track your cycle. You can use various other natural methods like noticing the signs and symptoms while you’re ovulating like abdominal pain, sexual drive etc. 

A proper diet plan based on the following principles can help you during PCOS :

 

-Adequate nutrition is very crucial. It is found that a proper vegan diet can help you reduce PCOS symptoms.

 

Exercise time is important to reduce and control PCOS. This includes lunges, squats or planks and it’s always good to have some strength training sessions

Make sure to have a good rest. Your bed timings are right. Sleep tight! 

Do breathing exercises, meditation, savasana. 

It’s important to understand the disease and act accordingly. Prevention is better than cure! 

 

Related blogs