Having Polycystic Ovaries doesn't mean you've got PCOS. Many women have tiny, harmless cysts on their ovaries but don't have any symptoms - they don't have the full-blown syndrome.

How common is it?

Between 20 to 25 per cent of women have polycystic ovaries, but only 10 per cent have PCOS, which means they have both polycystic ovaries and some or all of the symptoms listed below.

How do I know if I might have PCOS?

Common symptoms include:

• Irregular menstrual periods
  • Do you never know when you're next period will start? Do you sometimes miss periods altogether?
    
    
• Adult acne
  • Do you often get spots, boils or pimples on your face or body?
    
    
• Excessive facial or body hair
  • Have you become aware of embarrassing, visible facial hair or noticed that your arms, legs or torso have become hairier?
    
    
• Unexplained weight gain and difficulty in losing weight
  • Are you steadily putting on weight even though you eat healthily, diet and take regular exercise?
    
    
• Male pattern hair loss
  • Is your hair thinning or receding?
    
    
• Difficulty in falling pregnant
  • Have you been trying to conceive for several months without success?

Having just one or even several of these symptoms doesn't mean you have PCOS. And not all women with PCOS will have every symptom. Don't try to diagnose yourself - a doctor will be able to tell if you have Polycystic Ovaries by using an ultrasound scan .

Why does PCOS cause these problems?

• Irregular periods:
  • If you have regular periods it usually means you are ovulating (the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries in the middle of your menstrual cycle).
    
    But often, women with PCOS aren't ovulating and have irregular periods. This is because the syndrome causes changes in the hormone levels within the ovaries, which prevent ovulation.
    
    
• Difficulty in falling pregnant:
  • If you don't have any periods - or if they're irregular - because you're not ovulating, you'll find it very difficult to get pregnant naturally. In fact, PCOS accounts for around 30% of couples referred for fertility treatment.
    
    
• Acne, excess facial or body hair or hair loss:
  • These symptoms occur because women with PCOS over-produce male type hormones, such as Testosterone.
    
    Men naturally have high levels of these hormones, which is why they grow beards, body hair and may suffer from baldness. Women produce them too, but in far smaller quantities. But women with PCOS produce too many male hormones which affects the hair follicles, causing excess facial and body hair or even male-pattern hair loss. They also affect the sebaceous glands in the skin, causing acne.
    
    
• Weight gain:
  • At least 40% of women with PCOS find they can't stop putting on weight.
    
    Being overweight isn't just unhealthy - it can make other symptoms of PCOS worse. Research has shown that every woman with the syndrome has a critical body weight below which her symptoms will improve and above which they will worsen. That's why your doctor will tell you to try to lose weight.

But the latest studies reveal that women with PCOS who have a weight problem actually have an elevated level of insulin. This elevated insulin level appears to stimulate the ovaries to produce excess male hormones, interfering with ovulation. It also promotes the formation of body fat. If you've got too much insulin in your bloodstream you'll find it very difficult to lose weight even if you diet and take regular exercise.

How did I get PCOS?

Nobody's certain exactly what causes PCOS. But experts now believe it's probably a hereditary condition, passed through the genes. Studies have shown that polycystic ovaries are much more common in the closest female relatives of women who have been diagnosed with PCOS.

If you're unaware that your mum, aunt or sister have ever had any problems, that doesn't mean they don't have polycystic ovaries.They won't necessarily have any symptoms and are therefore unaware of the problem.

Many women with PCOS don't have recognisable symptoms until their late 20s or early 30s. Often, that's because they've been taking the contraceptive pill for years, so they don't realise anything's wrong until they come off it. The pill contains hormones which artificially generate regular periods and mask other symptoms of PCOS.

Can PCOS be treated?

In the past, treatment of PCOS has focused on individual symptoms.

• The pill(Dianette) has been used to regulate the menstrual cycle and to suppress the production of excess male hormones, benefiting patients with acne or excess facial or body hair.
  
  
• Stronger anti male hormone(testosterone) medications can also be used, often in conjunction with the pill. Obviously, these treatments are of no use to women who want to get pregnant.
  
  
• If you don't notice an immediate improvement in your symptoms, don't stop taking your medication. It may take several months before a treatment has a noticeable effect on your acne or excess facial hair.
  
  
• For the best, fastest results, use cosmetic treatments ( such as medicated skin creams for acne and bleaching, waxing or electrolysis for excess hair) in addition to medication.
  
  
• The downside of these treatments is that they are aimed at symptoms and not at the cause. Therefore the symptoms are likely to recur once you stop treatment.

A modern and more enlighted approach to PCOS management is as follows:

- Try to lose weight if you are overweight, especially if you have excess fat around the waist.

LOW CARBOHYDRATE,LOW FAT AND HIGH PROTEIN DIET IS RECOMMENDED. DON'T STINT ON FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

- Newer treatments.
Recently, doctors have begun to treat those PCOS sufferers who have high insulin levels with anti-diabetic type medications (e.g. Metformin). Some studies have shown a significant weight loss in such patients. What's more, women prescribed anti-diabetic medications have also seen an improvement in many other PCOS symptoms. They've seen their periods return/ become regular and normal ovulation has been restored.

- Fertility Treatments
If you've got PCOS and want to conceive a baby but do not ovulate (anovulation) and/or have irregular periods, there are a variety of fertility treatments available. Most women find that taking a tablet called clomid in the early part of their menstrual cycle can induce ovulation.Treatment with clomid must be monitored with regular ultrasound scans.Your doctor will explain to you regarding the side effects,success rates and risks.

Are there any long-term problems associated with PCOS?

If you've got PCOS you need to be aware of the health problems associated with the condition. Research has revealed a link between PCOS and diabetes and heart disease.

1)Diabetes:
Because of the changes in the amount of insulin secreted in women with PCOS there is an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life especially if you have weight problems associated with PCOS.

In fact, you're more likely to develop diabetes than the average woman without PCOS.

You're also more likely to experience diabetic problems during pregnancy which poses risks for the baby.

In most cases of PCOS you're likely to have a family history of diabetes, which strengthens the theory that PCOS is an hereditary condition.

2) Heart disease:
This also appears to be more common in women with PCOS. Sufferers have a tendency to develop high blood pressure and have higher cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. Again, overweight women are more at risk.

3) Abnormal womb lining
If you have very infrequent or no periods because the normal hormonal changes following ovulation fail to occur, there is a long term risk of developing pre-malignant changes within the lining of your womb.

Main Page