What is PCOS?

PCOS, as the name suggests, refers to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. The word “polycystic” refers to many cysts. PCOS occurs when the ovaries create excess hormones. It is a hormone imbalance. If a person is detected with PCOS, her ovaries create androgen (hormone) in excess. As a result, there is an imbalance in reproductive hormones. PCOS affects 1 in 10 people in their reproductive years. 

Worldwide, the prevalence of PCOS ranges from 2.2% to 26%. According to studies conducted in South India and Maharashtra, the prevalence of PCOS (according to Rotterdam’s criteria) was 9.13% and 22.5%, respectively (10.7% according to Androgen Excess Society standards).

Causes of PCOS

Ovulation is a biological process that occurs before your period cycle. In some cases, a woman’s body doesn’t create enough hormones to ovulate. When the process of ovulation does not happen, ovaries tend to make numerous small cysts. These cysts create the hormone called androgen in the woman’s body. Women having PCOS generally have high levels of androgen. However, some doctors believe that poor choices of lifestyle, and bad eating habits can lead to PCOS as well. 

Women having PCOS develop Insulin Resistance in their bodies. It means that their body cannot use insulin in an efficient manner. And, when insulin levels build up in the body, it can cause higher androgen levels. There are some other reasons for PCOS like Genes and inflammation has also been linked to excess androgen production. 

The excess androgens responsible for PCOS’s clinical manifestations are believed to have unknown exact origins. The fact that it may run in families suggests that there may be some hereditary component. Suggestions include the synthesis of androgens being enhanced by an excess of insulin (caused by insulin resistance) or the ovaries experiencing low-grade inflammation.

PCOS vs PCOD

At what age PCOS is diagnosed?

PCOS is a common health problem detected in teen girls and young women. It can be detected in your teenage years soon after you started your periods, like 14-15. Majority of women find out about PCOS in their twenties when they are having trouble with their periods of trying to get pregnant. There is no specific age at which PCOS can be diagnosed. It can be diagnosed at any age after puberty. 

 PCOS symptoms: 

• Inconsistent cycles, missed periods, or unusually light cycles
• Massive ovaries or ovaries with numerous cysts
• A lot of body hair, particularly on the back, stomach, and chest
• Gaining weight, especially around the abdomen
• Greasy skin or acne
• Thinning hair or baldness with a masculine pattern
• Infertility
• Small bits of loose skin around the neck or under the arms 
• Spots of thick or black skin on the back of the neck, under the armpits, and beneath the breasts 

After-effects of PCOS

PCOS affects the human body in different ways:

• Infertility: This is one of the major concerns of PCOS. Women who have PCOS don’t ovulate regularly in their cycle, thus not releasing many eggs for fertilization to take place. 
• Metabolism: According to the studies, 80% of the women having PCOS are overweight. Obesity and PCOS both together can both increase the risk for high blood pressure, high sugar levels, high “bad” cholesterol, and low “good” cholesterol. These factors together contribute to metabolic syndrome.  
• Sleep apnea: It refers to repeated pauses in breathing at night which results in the interruption of sleep. 
• Endometrial cancer: Women who have PCOS, do not ovulate regularly. During ovulation, the uterine lining sheds. Irregular ovulation results in the thickening of the uterine wall, thus increasing the risk of endometrial cancer.
• Type-2 diabetes: Women with PCOS are at a higher risk for type-2 diabetes. 
• Depression

PCOS and Menstrual cycles

Women having PCOS have irregular periods. They experience painful cramps, severe backaches, heavy periods, and extremely large or small cycles. Medications prescribed by doctors are successful in such scenarios. 

Can PCOS exist without any symptoms?

Indeed, PCOS can exist without any obvious symptoms. Many women don’t even recognize they have PCOS until they experience difficulties in becoming pregnant or start accumulating weight for unexplained reasons. There’s also a chance that you have minimal PCOS, in which case your symptoms won’t be noticeable.

How is PCOS diagnosed?

PCOS can be detected through ultrasound or with the help of blood tests. A blood test will detect androgen and other hormone levels in the body. Generally, a girl doesn’t go to the doctor’s office directly to get the diagnosis. There could be many reasons for a doctor’s visit like missed periods, experiencing symptoms of PCOS, and unsuccessful pregnancy.

Treatment for PCOS

Every human body is different. The severity of symptoms of PCOS is different in each female body. The type of treatment depends on the severity. A huge amount of patience is required to deal with PCOS.  Some of the general treatment options which can be followed are:

• A change in diet and physical activity in the form of the gym, yoga, running, zumba.
• If the person is diabetic, diabetes medication reduces insulin resistance in PCOS. The medication may also help in reducing androgen levels in the body, and slowing hair growth.

To sum up, There is no medication to cure PCOS completely from its root cause. PCOS can affect the human body both physically and mentally. Family support plays a big role in dealing with this. A healthy lifestyle, doctor’s consultations/medications, and physical activity can make living with PCOS possible.