Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is a common medical condition that affects women. It is usually characterized with polycistic ovaries, obesity, menstrual abnormality and infertility. The syndrome’s name came from the numerous small cysts that appear in enlarged ovaries. These cysts can be seen during regular ultrasound examination.
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but there are a few factors that contribute to it. These factors include obesity, especially apple-shaped obesity (abdominal fat distribution) and raised insulin levels, but it is believed that there are also genetic factors due to heredity (mothers and grandmothers with PCOS).
Signs and symptoms of PCOS may appear sometime after a girl’s first period or even later as part of a degenerative phase of a woman’s life. This syndrome has a lot of varieties, because there are differences in types and severity of this condition.
Usually, a female has some kind of menstrual abnormality, like irregular menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea) or monthly cycles that go over 35 days or even amenorrhea – the total absence of menstrual periods. Because a period is not regular, infertility is one of the common symptoms or even the primary reason why women seek treatment in the first place. In addition to this, other symptoms include excess facial and body hair (this is because of an excess of androgen hormones, elevated blood pressure and obesity. Oily skin and acne are sometimes part of PCOS’ big picture.
The chances for women with PCOS to get pregnant are good but medical intervention is needed. The available options vary for women who want to get pregnant and those who don’t. Women who don’t hope to get pregnant are typically treated with birth control pills while those who want to have a baby will usually take fertility medications that will bring about ovulation.
If you have PCOS, it is very important to make affirmative lifestyle changes, such as eating more fresh food, fruits and vegetables, and eating foods that are low-fat as well as those that are omega-3 rich. This is often referred to as the anti-inflammatory diet. Your lifestyle changes should also include getting light to moderate physical activity several times each week, if not every day. Changing what you eat and increasing exercise can cause weight loss which, in turn, can help improve your metabolic system, control diabetes, and improve high cholesterol and high blood pressure—all of which can be systemic to the condition or its complications.
Treatment by a physician is usually necessary because women with PCOS have problems getting pregnant and when they do become pregnant, they have greater odds of miscarriage, having pregnancy-related (or gestational) diabetes or delivering prematurely.
Psychological issues such as depression and anxiety aren’t unheard of when you’re dealing with PCOS. Finding a good psychologist or other mental health professional can be of tremendous assistance as can real world or internet support groups.
So if you have PCOS or know someone who does, keep in mind that medical therapies exist, that the prognosis and chances for pregnancy are promising but that patience and kindness toward oneself are more than necessary to give you that extra boost needed to have a baby.
What is endometriosis? What about PCOS? If you want to learn more about the conditions that affect fertility and conception and the necessary fertility tests for women, please visit WaysToConceiveABaby.com.
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