Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones.
Covered in this article:
What is PCOS?
Symptoms
Causes
What to do if you have PCOS/ Treatment of PCOS
What is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which is also known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a common health problem. The egg that is released each month as part of a healthy menstrual cycle is made by the ovaries. But with PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should, or it may not be released during ovulation as it should be.
It is a “syndrome”, or a group of symptoms that affects the ovaries and ovulation. The three main features are:
cysts in ovaries
high levels of male hormones
irregular/skipped periods
Symptoms
Following are the most common symptoms of PCOS:
Irregular periods
Weight gain
Heavy bleeding
Hair loss
Acne/ Oily skin
Polycystic ovaries
Causes
The exact cause of PCOS has not yet been found out by the doctors. Different factors such as genes, insulin resistance and inflammation have been linked to being the cause of PCOS.
What to do if you have PCOS/ Treatment of PCOS
The treatment depends upon your age, symptoms, weight and the fact whether you want to become pregnant or not. For eg, if you are overweight, losing some weight can make you feel better and increase the effectiveness of the medicines and improve your fertility. Basically, the treatment usually starts with common lifestyle changes.
Studies have found that 30 minutes of exercise at least three days a week can help women with PCOS lose weight. It improves ovulation and insulin levels.
Diet plus exercise helps you lose more weight and lowers your risks for diabetes and heart disease.
Our advice: If you think you have considerable symptoms, do consult a doctor.