“Doc, I got an ultrasound done for my teen since our neighbor suggested, and it says polycystic ovaries! I’m worried sick! How serious is this?”
“My periods are pretty regular, but the report says Polycystic ovaries. What do I do?!!”
Very, very common complaints that get women of all ages to seek our help.
The media, and more often than naught- hearsay, has created a huge demon out of a very common occurrence called ‘polycystic ovaries’, the incidence of which, has risen drastically over the last decade. Recent statistics say that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 10 Indian women, and out of every 10 women, 6 are teenage girls.
However, are ‘PCOS’ and ‘polycystic ovaries’ one and the same?
The answer is NO!
Polycystic ovaries comprise just one of the components of PCOS, and on its own, may not have a lot of clinical significance. PCOS, comprises of atleast 2 out of the 3 criteria, namely irregular periods, excess of male hormones in the body and a sonography suggestive of polycystic ovaries.
What causes PCOS?
The answer to this question is not yet known. Women with a family history, that is, with a mother or a sister with PCOS are at a higher risk for developing the same themselves; however, this is not hard and fast. Women without a family history may develop PCOS, and a few women with a strong family history might not! Researchers are studying the various genes that might be associated with this syndrome, however, to date, there is no single gene that has been implicated.
Girls and women who weigh higher than ideal to begin with, are also more prone to develop PCOS, though lean PCOS is also a known occurrence.
What happens if I have PCOS?
In PCOS, there is a hormonal imbalance in your body. The male hormones (androgens) in the body increase, consequently, one might notice excessive hair growth in a non- feminine pattern, namely over the face, chest, belly and so on. This might also cause your skin to develop a lot of pimples. The body also develops a resistance to the hormone called Insulin which usually is responsible for digesting the sugar in our diet. This leads to more and more fat being deposited. Consequently, obesity causing insulin resistance causing more obesity becomes a vicious circle. The insulin resistance may also cause blackish discolouration of the skin in your armpits, at the nape of your neck or the inner surface of your thighs.
However, the most commonly faced problem in PCOS is an irregularity in your periods. Your periods may be delayed, sometimes by a few days to a few weeks, but sometimes by months, and a few women may not get their periods unless they visit a doctor who prescribes tablets to them.
This uncertainty may definitely be disturbing, however, the most troubled are women seeking to plan a baby, since the egg may be released irregularly, or not at all!
So when should I worry?
Just an ultrasound report suggestive of polycystic ovaries, especially when your periods are regular and you do not have any of the symptoms mentioned above, is definitely not worth panicking about!!! More often than not, polycystic ovaries tend to be over-diagnosed.
If you are planning a pregnancy and have irregular periods, you definitely need to seek help from a specialist. You might need help in the form of certain medicines to release your eggs to maximize the chances of conceiving, alongwith certain lifestyle measures. Certain women might need more advanced fertility treatment options.
If you have irregular menses, weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth over your body, you should check with a gynaecologist.
How important are lifestyle interventions in the treatment of PCOS?
Very!
Studies have proved that even 10% weight loss leads to regularization of menses in 60% of obese women with PCOS. Weight loss improves the sensitivity to Insulin, reverses the hormonal imbalance, decreases the male hormones and as a result, reduces symptoms such as acne, hair growth and so on.
Even if the menses do not regularize with weight loss alone, such women have a better response to treatment, especially those facing infertility.
A healthy diet, comprising more of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, plenty of liquids, and less of fats, carbohydrates and sugars is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Coupled with this, a good form of aerobic exercise- right from brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, skipping also goes a long way towards helping one achieve the targeted weight loss.
Alongwith a healthy active lifestyle, and a little bit of help from the experts, tackling PCOS is indeed, a piece of cake!
