By Chioma Umeha
Polycystic ovary
syndrome is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can
cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS
also may cause unwanted changes in the way you look, according to studies. If
it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as
diabetes and heart disease.
Most women with
PCOS grow many small cysts camera.gif on their ovaries. That is why it is
called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful, but lead to
hormone imbalances. Early diagnosis and treatment can help control the symptoms
and prevent long-term problems.
What are hormones, and what happens in PCOS?
Hormones are
chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and
energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of
another hormone.
For reasons that
have not been scientifically proven, in PCOS the hormones get out of balance.
One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. For example:
• The sex hormones
get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex
hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This
may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
• The body may have
a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn’t use
insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance
of getting diabetes.
What causes PCOS?
The cause of PCOS
is not fully understood, but genetics may be a factor. PCOS seems to run in
families, so your chance of having it is higher if other women in your family
have it or have irregular periods or diabetes. PCOS can be passed down from
either your mother’s or father’s side.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms tend to be
mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. The most
common symptoms are:
•Acne.
• Weight gain and
trouble losing weight.
• Extra hair on the
face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on
the chest, belly, and back.
• Thinning hair on
the scalp.
• Irregular
periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women
have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
• Fertility
problems. Many women who have PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
• Depression.
How is PCOS diagnosed?
To diagnose PCOS,
the doctor will ask questions about your past health, symptoms, and menstrual
cycles.
You will be
required to a physical examination to look for signs of PCOS, such
as extra body hair and high blood pressure. The doctor will also check your
height and weight to see if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI).
You will be
required to do a number of lab tests to check your blood sugar, insulin, and
other hormone levels. Hormone tests can help rule out thyroid or other gland
problems that could cause similar symptoms.
You may also have a
pelvic ultrasound to look for cysts on your ovaries. Your doctor may be able to
tell you that you have PCOS without an ultrasound, but this test will help him
or her rule out other problems.
