A
photo courtesy of Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash
Affecting 1 in 10 women of childbearing age, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome), is a hormonal disorder that affects the reproductive and metabolic systems. The hormonal imbalance causes problems in the ovaries, the organ responsible for making the egg that is released during a healthy, monthly cycle. When PCOS is present, the egg may not develop correctly before release or may not be released at all. This often leads to enlarged ovaries, rimmed with small cysts. How does all of this affect a woman's reproductive cycle? Improperly developed eggs or eggs that are not released during ovulation lead to problems such as infertility, and PCOS is in fact known to be a leading cause. The condition can occur at any point after puberty, but most women do not discover they have it until their 20s and 30s, when having trouble getting pregnant.
pcos + pregnancy: understanding the obstacles ahead by talitha a. mcguinness
52
connexions
Causes + Other Health Issues The exact cause of PCOS is currently unknown. Most doctors believe that several factors play a role, including genetics. Two other possibilities include higher than normal levels of androgens or "male hormones", which prevent ovulation from occuring, and higher than normal levels of insulin, which could lead to other health problems like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Other health issues that could follow include anxiety and depression, cardiovascular disease and even endometrial cancer. PCOS also does not discriminate against age or across races or ethnicities, and your chances are even higher of receiving a diagnosis if you have a female relative who has it, whether or not they have been previously diagnosed. Research shows that 50% of women who have PCOS go undiagnosed. Signs of PCOS There are a number of symptoms for PCOS, and the condition can be confirmed by blood test, ultrasound, a pelvic exam, and simply reading the clues of your body. A few of the more common symptoms of PCOS include:
