PCOS Awareness -Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions with Answers Related to PCOS!
- What is PCOS?
- What are the Common Signs & Symptoms of PCOS?
- What causes PCOS?
- How is PCOS Diagnosed?
- How does PCOS affect Health & fertility?
- If you have PCOS, should you see a fertility specialist before trying to conceive?
- Is PCOS treatable?
- What is the common fertility treatment protocol for PCOS Women?
- How to Get Pregnant with PCOS and what are the risks involved?
- How effective is IVF treatment for PCOS?
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) affects about 10% of the female population of reproductive age worldwide. Of these, about 75% are literally having difficulty conceiving without help. The major issue with this condition is the absence or infrequent ovulation (preventing regular release of eggs), which eventually leads to infertility. PCOS causes ovarian cysts, excess male hormone levels and impacts a woman’s metabolic system resulting in various potentially complex health complications.
Awareness of PCOS is still relatively low, but this is to affect at least one in five women. As with several conditions that affect fertility, a lot of women would not be diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, until they face difficulties trying to conceive, especially when the symptoms are mild. In this scenario, awareness about the PCOS is key for early diagnosis and treatment.
Here are answers to commonly asked PCOS questions women often have:
What is PCOS?
PCOS-Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal & reproductive disorder, it occurs due to certain hormone imbalances. Women with PCOS secretes abnormally high levels of male hormones called androgens (testosterone) and this counteracts the ovaries ability to produce female hormones (progesterone) needed for normal menstruation. Owing to low levels of female hormones, PCOS women typically have fewer menstrual cycles than normal women and sometimes have no periods at all. Their periods could be irregular with light or heavy flows, lengthy bleeding episodes, or frequent spotting.
Most but not all women suffering from PCOS get small cysts on their ovaries. The ovarian cysts are caused by follicles that have matured eggs in the ovary, but due to the abnormal hormone levels, the eggs were never released. In some PCOS cases, one or both of the ovaries could become enlarged up to 1.5 to 3 times bigger than normal size.
What are the Common Signs & Symptoms of PCOS?
There are numerous signs and symptoms that PCOS women can experience. And most importantly, not all suffering from PCOS will have the same kind or all of the symptoms. The most common symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Infrequent or no periods and irregular bleeding
- Inability to get pregnant (infertility)
- Acne
- Excess weight gain, obesity
- Excess hair growth on face and body (hirsutism)
- Male pattern baldness
- Diabetes
- Patches of velvety, thickened, darkened skin, called acanthosis nigricans
- Oily skin
- Skin discolorations
- Skin tags
- Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis
- Multiple ovarian cysts
What causes PCOS?
The precise causes of PCOS are still unknown and some of the responsible factors may include:
- Too much insulin
- Low-grade inflammation
- Heredity—genetics are thought to be one of the factors
How is PCOS Diagnosed?
Unfortunately, there is no such test to definitely diagnose PCOS, that is why it’s often misdiagnosed. Instead, PCOS specialists and doctors look for multiple characteristic symptoms through various physical examinations & tests, such as ultrasounds. Some of them may also include blood test to rule out other causes for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome symptoms, like thyroid dysfunction. Usually, having having any two of these key symptoms indicates that a woman have PCOS:
Irregular periods—infrequent/not present/ prolonged periods.
Excess male hormones
Polycystic ovaries—ovaries become enlarged because of fluid-filled follicles surrounding the eggs, abrupting their normal functioning and suppressing ovulation.
How does PCOS affect Health & fertility?
PCOS doesn’t just disrupt woman’s menstrual cycle and limit fertility, but also can cause sever other health problems, including:
- Metabolic syndrome—high blood pressure
- Type II diabetes or prediabetes
- Endometrial hyperplasia (endometrial, uterine cancer)
- Gestational diabetes
- Miscarriages or premature birth
- Liver inflammation
- Sleep apnea
- Mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
If you have PCOS, should you see a fertility specialist before trying to conceive?
If you are not ovulating regularly every month then it is ideal to seek the help of a doctor or fertility specialist immediately, as this could turn out to risk infertility and other severe health issues. By taking medication and making healthy lifestyle changes, ovulation can be regulated allowing for conception to occur. The severe your symptoms are, the more complications you may have to go through while trying for pregnancy.
Is PCOS treatable?
A variety of treatments are available to address various symptoms of PCOS. PCOS treatment is tailored based on the patient’s individual symptoms, which include:
For Hirsutism & Acne—Medications to lower androgen levels, like contraceptive pills and other medicines. But these medications can cause birth defects, so they are not recommended for PCOS women who want to become pregnant. Instead, they are prescribed creams to control acne and slow the growth of unwanted hair.
For irregular Menstruation—birth control pills containing both progesterone and estrogen to restore ovulation & regulate the menstrual cycle.
For Metabolic Syndrome—Metformin and other drugs to treat diabetes
For obesity—lifestyle changes, such as low-carb and high-protein diet and physical exercise
For depression— Counseling or joining support groups, antidepressants are at last option (if required).
Check out-About PCOS and Getting Pregnant with the Help of Effective Fertility Treatment Options blog to get detailed information.
What is the common fertility treatment protocol for PCOS Women?
The first step is to implement healthy lifestyle changes which can aid in lessening symptoms and to induce ovulation along with medication. Once ovulation induced properly, then an IUI cycle can be performed, where a washed sperm is placed into the woman’s uterus during ovulation. If the patient doesn’t achieve pregnancy after 3 cycles of IUI, then advanced treatment such as IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) will be necessary, with far better results.
Getting pregnant with PCOS & What are the risks involved?
The majority of women with PCOS are able to get pregnant naturally or with the help of various fertility treatments. Majority of women suffering from PCOS may have relatively straightforward pregnancy. Very few PCOS women might be at the higher risk of miscarriage in the 1st tweleve weeks of pregnancy. Besides miscarriages, there could be a higher risk of developing pregnancy related problems such as gestational diabetes (diabetes that occurs later in pregnancy).
How effective is IVF treatment for PCOS?
Women having PCOS and trying to conceive can be successfully treated with fertility treatments. Among them, IVF is the most appropriate option, for those who have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant despite regular ovulation and other fertility treatments such as IUI. The good news is that PCOS women generally respond well to IVF treatment.
Here at MotherToBe fertility clinic, we have India’s leading PCOS fertility specialist, Dr. Vyjayanthi with more than 20 years experience in dealing complicated PCOS fertility cases and giving the highest successful results. She will assess your individual symptoms & concerns and undertake the necessary diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of the cause. An individual PCOS fertility treatment plan will be tailored for you!