by WHAT IS PCOS ?
PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a health problem which affects 1 out of 15 women of child bearing age ( Commonly 12-40). It is a hormonal disorder in which female body produce surplus of Androgens (male hormones) and very little of Estrogen (female hormones) and Progesterone in her reproductive age.
Estrogens are very important for development of the sexual and reproductive organs of women. If the female body produces excess of androgens which happens in the case of women with PCOS, then hormonal imbalance occurs and it creates problem in the ovulation.
The main problem which arise for the women who is suffering from PCOS is not able to conceive or difficulty in having baby.
SYMPTOMS OF PCOS/PCOD
Apart from this main problem, women who are suffering from PCOS also witnessed some other symptoms too. These are :-
• Absence of menstrual periods
• Irregular Periods
• Dandruff and Acne
• Pelvic pain
• Thinning hair
• Anxiety/ Depression
• Growing of facial hairs
• Cysts developing on the ovaries
CAUSES OF PCOS/PCOD
Experts are not very clear about the exact cause of PCOS but according to a deep research, following are some main factors which are responsible for causing PCOS.
GENES :- Common observation shows that if you have a mother or a sister affected with this syndrome, there is at least 50% chances that you will be affected too.
INSULIN RESISTANCE :- Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas which controls the amount of sugar in the blood. Women with PCOS have insulin resistance problem. It means that their cells can’t use insulin properly which increases blood sugar level and body will produce more insulin than required which causes increase in androgens production which create difficulty in ovulation.
Also read | Home remedies for missing periods | What to eat if periods are late ?
HOW DOCTORS DIAGNOSIS PCOS ?
For an initial diagnosis, the doctor will determine if any of the following symptom is there before proceeding with more tests. These symptoms are :-
• Abnormality in the menstrual cycle :- If menstrual cycle of female is disturbed which means that if a female is witnessing a menstrual interval of 35 days or more or having less than 8 menstrual cycles within a year or having no menstruation for 4 months or longer.
• Facial hair :- When there are too much facial and body hair which means that female body is producing more Androgen than Estrogens. It is a sign of PCOS.
If you are planning to visit a doctor, so be prepared about answering following questions :-
1) Menstrual history :- Firstly Doctor will ask you about these questions to get an idea about it. These are :-
• How old were you when you got your first period?
• What has your menstrual pattern been like?
• Are there any previous pregnancies, and if so, how many?
2) Weight history :-
• If you are currently overweight, did your weight change significantly in a short period of time?
• Has your weight been a challenge all your life, or has managing it become more of a problem recently?
3) Family history :- Are there diabetes, heart disease, cancer, history of fertility problems, or weight issues in your family?
4) Medications and/or dietary supplements :- Include everything you are taking as well as the doses.
5) Previous tests :- If available, bring along the results of previous blood tests, ultrasounds, and so on.
The first thing that will generally happen in the diagnosis process is that the doctor will look to rule out other explanations for your health complaints. So that he will solve your all other health issues related with PCOS.
So this is a basic knowledge about PCOS that i have shared with you. In my upcoming articles, i will tell you about what you need to do to get rid of this problem.
Thanks for reading this article
Also read | Treatments for PCOS: How to Deal With Your Condition – PCOS Awareness | Fit Health Code
