Polycystic ovary syndrome Overview

Polycystic ovary syndrome also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome is a disorder in women that causes hormonal imbalance and affects their menstrual cycle and ability to have children. In polycystic ovary syndrome, the situation becomes critical as eggs do not mature and are not released from the ovaries but are present in the ovaries in the form of small cysts. The size of ovaries is also larger than normal. Along with the inner changes, there are physical manifestations of this disease as well. Due to hormonal imbalance, the ovaries of women with polycystic ovary syndrome make more androgens. Androgens being male hormones affect the development and release of eggs during ovulation. According to researchers, insulin may also be the reason of polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have extra insulin in their bodies which increases production of androgen in them and leads to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, etc.

Researchers have still not been able to find out the main cause of polycystic ovary syndrome. But most experts think that genetics could play a major role. It is possible that a women with polycystic ovary syndrome will have a mother or sister suffering from the same. No special gene can be said to be the main cause. Perhaps this is the main reason why the condition is different in different people.

The symptoms may vary from women to women. Some of them are: irregular menstrual cycle, multiple cysts in ovaries, obesity and weight gain, decreased breast size, deepening of voice, increase in body hair, infertility and rise in insulin levels. 

Since the main cause is not clear, it is very difficult to talk about prevention totally. If it is in your genes, you will face this problem and it’s very difficult to take action beforehand. There’s no proof about weight loss proving to be very beneficial. But the best advice would be to maintain a normal weight and more if you know that you can be affected. The strong indicators can be a tendency in the family towards diabetes, if a close relative already has polycystic ovary syndrome, if men in family have suffered from early baldness.

Losing weight helps getting over diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Imbalance in hormones and infertility can be balanced by losing weight. In order to treat the abnormal hormones and menstrual cycles in polycystic ovary syndrome, the following medications are suggested:

1. Birth control pills that help in making the menstrual cycle regular in women.

2. Metformin, a medicine that makes body more sensitive to insulin. It can also help with weight loss in some women.

3. Treatment with clomiphine citrate helps in eggs to get mature and be released. Pelvic Laproscopy is a treatment where a section of the ovary is removed or holes are made in the ovaries to treat absence of ovulation and infertility.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common problem in women these days but the best part is that proper medication can bring about a change in the lifestyle of the one suffering from it. The formula should be “Live and let live.”