What is PCOS? Know all about this hormonal disorder, treatment and more

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is not a disease. It’s a syndrome where women have a hormonal imbalance and irregular menses. It’s commonly seen in women of reproductive age group – 17-36 years. Menses are usually irregular in young girls. However, they should regularise after a few years.

Irregular menses is the first indication of PCOS. There is also weight gain, oily skin, hair loss associated. The diagnosis is made by blood tests for hormones and sonography of the pelvis.

The important thing to understand is that the term PCOS is a misnomer. There are no “cysts”. What’s seen on Sonography is excess ovarian follicles which are unable to grow and ovulate at right time leading to irregular menses and in turn, infertility. Infertility due to PCOS is increasing in young women due to western diet, sedentary habits.

How to correct PCOS?

*PCOS is approached as a syndrome and NOT a disease.

*Women can contribute majorly by following a healthy lifestyle which is the first step in treatment.

*Ideally this should start in adolescent girls.

*Diet rich in proteins, less in fat and sugars is recommended. It’s also very important to have a regular exercise schedule.

*Cutting out junk food, daily exercise can help. Even a 5% loss in weight is very helpful in-restoring menses and helping ovulation.

However, not all women are overweight. Some are called thin PCOs. They need more medical help to correct the hormonal disturbance. The second step to management for women who need fertility and are struggling for the same is ovulation-inducing medication. Simple tablets can help follicular growth and correct ovulation and 60 % of women with no other infertility issue will conceive easily. However, these tablets should be given under medical guidance and sonography should be done to check if they are effective.

Some women may not respond to tablets and may need hormone injections which are safe as long as given in the lowest dose under medical supervision Women who do not respond to tablets and injections may need a laparoscopic procedure to correct the problem. This procedure should be done in expert hands to maximize benefits

PCOS usually corrects with age. As a woman gets older, they lose eggs and PCOS intensity may reduce. However long-standing PCOS should be treated. A woman should have at least 6-7 menses in a year. Prolonged absence of menses can affect the womb health and persistent absence of menses is a precursor to endometrial cancers. It’s important to meet your doctor and regulate menses even if a woman does not desire pregnancy. PCOS women are more likely to have thyroid hormone disorder called hypothyroidism. It’s important to screen for the same and correct this with simple medication. Women with persistent PCOs and unhealthy lifestyles are prone to get diabetes at an older age. This is due to persistent insulin resistance which is a feature of polycystic ovarian syndrome. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way to keep this disease at bay.