Breaking Silence: Raising Awareness about PCOS and its Impact on Women’s Health

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Oct 4, 2024, 12:49 PM IST

A diagnosis is typically made through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and ultrasound imaging.

Dr. K S Rupa, MBBS, DGO (BMC, Bangalore), MRCOG (London), Fellowship in Fertility Medicine (Australia).Medical Director, Dr. Rupa’s REACH Fertility Clinic, Bangalore

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects millions of women worldwide, yet many remain unaware of its symptoms and management strategies. As September is PCOS Awareness Month, it's crucial to shed light on this common but often misunderstood condition.

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PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can affect women during their reproductive years. It is characterized by an imbalance in hormones, insulin resistance and obesity. Women with PCOS may have slightly larger ovaries and tiny little follicles all of which may remain around periphery just like a pearl necklace. All of them are ready to fire but none of them develop and ovulate, this is the most common problem. So because of this also and most of the time PCOS is diagnosed not only by ultrasound but by clinical symptoms and the symptoms can vary widely, making it a challenging condition to diagnose.

Common signs include irregular periods or absent menstrual periods or very scanty menstrual periods and on the other extreme some people can bleed very heavily when they get periods once in two or three months, necessitating medical attention.

Excessive hair growth on the face or body severe acne or oily skin and difficulty to conceive having some fertility issues and thinning hair on the scalp is again an important symptom.

A diagnosis is typically made through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and ultrasound imaging. Blood tests may also be used to measure hormone levels and we also need to check their insulin resistance as it is a very common finding and some people have this metabolic syndrome.

While there is no cure for PCOS, there are various strategies to manage its symptoms, it includes lifestyle changes which involves regular exercise of at least six hours per week and balance diet, rich in protein and moderate fat and slightly low carbohydrate which can manage weight and improve insulin sensitivity.

Losing even 5% of body weight can make a significant difference in reducing symptoms.

Medication including inositols help to relieve symptoms and polycystic ovaries and raising awareness about PCOS is essential for early diagnosis and effective management of both their menstrual symptoms and also fertility.

By understanding the condition better, women can seek appropriate medical advice earlier, improving their quality of life and long term health outcomes.

As we observe PCOS awareness month, it is a time to spread awareness about this common condition, reduce the stigma surrounding it and advocate for better research and support.

If you or anyone around you is suffering with any of the symptoms consult your doctor for effective management. Usually thyroid problems and changes in the prolactin hormone are also seen in women with PCOS and should be managed accordingly.

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