What are the causes of PCOS?

Studies shows that PCOS has a genetic component which means that if your mother or sister have PCOS you are likely to develop it. It could also be related to problems that make your body produce too much insulin, which can affect your ovaries and their ability to ovulate (or release eggs).

Symptoms

Apart from cysts on the ovaries, the three main features of PCOS are:

Irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation).

Excess androgen – high levels of ‘male’ hormones in the body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair.

Polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs.

If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.

Complications linked with PCOS

If you have PCOS and your androgen levels are too high, you have higher odds for a number of complications which differ from woman to woman and include the following:

Trouble getting pregnant as Cysts in the ovaries can interfere with ovulation. If a healthy egg isn’t available to be fertilized by a sperm, you can’t get pregnant. You may still be able to get pregnant by consulting with fertility specialist at FirstCure Health to make it happen.

Insulin issues and diabetes as your body makes too many androgens. The cells in your muscles, organs, and other tissues don’t absorb blood sugar very welland as a result,; you can have too much sugar moving through your bloodstream. This is called diabetes, and causes problems with your cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Metabolic syndromeraises the risk of cardiovascular disease as the symptoms include high triglyceride and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels.

Other common complications of PCOS include:

How is PCOS Diagnosed?

No single test can diagnose PCOS. We at FirstCure Health diagnose your condition by assessing your medical history, physical exam including pelvic exam.During this examination the Gynae will look for any problems with your ovaries or other parts of your reproductive tract by inserting gloved fingers into your vagina and checks for any growths in your ovaries or uterus. We will also conduct blood tests to measure your hormone levels, insulin, and cholesterol to evaluate your risks for related conditions like heart and diabetes. An ultrasound will check your ovaries for cysts, look for tumors, and measure the lining of your uterus.

How is PCOS Treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, your age, and whether you want to become pregnant. If you a’re overweight, we will advise you to lose weight to help regulate your menstrual cycle and improve PCOS symptoms. Weight loss can also improve cholesterol levels, lower insulin and reduce heart disease and diabetes risks. It also might help the way your medications work and improve your fertility by improving ovulation and insulin levels.

We may prescribe hormonal birth control, like the skin patch or the pill to lower your risk of endometrial cancer, get your periods on track, clear up acne, and lessen extra body hair. Birth control pills and diabetes drugs (which combat insulin resistance, a PCOS symptom) may be given to help fix hormone imbalance and improve symptoms.

Surgical options include:

If you do want to get pregnant, there are several recommended treatment options, including: