What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)? Understanding Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Author: Mark Pelore

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is an endocrine disorder and a common cause of infertility in women. In PCOS, hormones that affect the reproductive system are abnormal, leading to irregular or absent ovulation. PCOS is a common disorder, affecting up to 8% of women.

Women with PCOS often have polycystic ovaries. This means that the ovaries have many tiny, benign and painless cysts. During an ultrasound exam, the tiny cysts may resemble a string of pearls. However, polycystic ovaries do not always point to PCOS. Studies have found that some women have polycystic ovaries, normal ovulation, and no other signs of an endocrine disorder like PCOS.

A common finding with PCOS is abnormally high levels of androgen hormones. While androgens are found in both men and women, they are considered to be primarily male hormones. High androgen levels are associated with some of the more visibly distressing symptoms of PCOS, including acne and abnormal hair growth.

What Are the Symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome may include:

• infertility
• irregular or absent ovulation (anovulation)
• amenorrhea (absence of monthly menstrual cycles) or oligomenorhhea (irregular monthly menstrual cycles)
• recurrent miscarriage
• abnormal hair growth, also known as hirsutism, found on the upper lip, chin, around the nipples, or on the abdomen
• acne
• especially oily skin and hair
• male pattern balding
• obesity
• the presence of polycystic ovaries during ultrasound examination
• insulin resistance
• high levels of androgens, also known as hyperandrogenism
• elevated levels of the hormone LH (making at-home ovulation tests difficult to use)

You do not need to have every symptom above to be diagnosed with PCOS, and PCOS does not present itself the same way for every woman. For example, many women with PCOS do not have abnormal hair growth and are at a healthy weight. Some women with PCOS may not have a menstrual cycle for months at a time, while other women with PCOS may only have slightly irregular cycles.

Because PCOS is diagnosed by looking at the greater picture, and by excluding other potential diseases that can cause similar symptoms, it's important to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

How Does Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Cause Infertility?

The abnormal hormone levels associated with PCOS lead to problems with ovulation. These irregularities in ovulation are the main cause of infertility.

PCOS is also associated with a higher risk of early miscarriage. Research on PCOS has shown that the miscarriage rate may be as high as 20% to 40%, which is twice as high as in the general population.

It's not exactly clear why miscarriage is more common in women with PCOS, but some theories include the following:

• poor egg quality, related to premature or late ovulation
• insulin resistance
• a less-than-favorable environment for an embryo to implant in the uterine lining (due to abnormal hormone levels associated with PCOS)

How Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Diagnosed?

Not everyone agrees on the criteria for diagnosing PCOS, and its definition has been changed over the years.

That said, the most commonly used diagnostic criteria currently being used requires two out of three of the following to apply:

• irregular or absent menstrual cycles, caused by chronic anovulation
• either blood test confirmation or outward signs of high levels of androgens (abnormal hair growth, acne)
• the presence of polycystic ovaries, as seen by ultrasound examination

In addition, other potential causes of anovulation or high androgen levels must be eliminated. This usually includes testing for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen-secreting tumors, and hyperprolactinemia.

What Kind of Testing Is Involved for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Blood work will be ordered to check hormone levels, blood sugar levels (for insulin resistance), and lipid levels. Transvaginal ultrasound may be ordered, in order to see if the ovaries appear polycystic.

Taking a detailed history is also an important part of PCOS diagnosis. Your doctor will want to know about how regular your menstrual cycles are, and ask about unwanted hair growth. You may be tempted not to mention unwanted hair growth because of embarrassment, but it's important that you tell your doctor about this problem if you have it.

What Are the Potential Treatments for PCOS?

Treatment for PCOS will depend on whether or not you're trying to get pregnant. If pregnancy is not a priority, birth control pills may be ordered to help regulate your cycles and help reduce acne and unwanted hair growth.

Some acne treatments are not safe to be used when you're trying to get pregnant, so be sure to tell your doctor if you are.

For those trying to get pregnant, the treatment for PCOS is similar to the treatments used for treating anovulation. The first line of treatment is usually Clomid, which is used to help stimulate ovulation.

Metformin (also known as Glucophage), a drug usually used to treat insulin resistance, is sometimes used for treatment, even if you do not have insulin resistance.

If these medications do not help, then gonadotropins (fertility drugs that are taken by injection) may be tried. If drugs alone do not work, or if there are multiple factors leading to infertility, IVF treatment may be recommended.

Some studies have shown that women who are overweight with PCOS may be able to restart ovulation naturally by losing just 10% of their current weight. A healthy diet and regular exercise may also help bring back regular ovulation in some, but not all, women with PCOS.

For infertility Patients:

There are several methods of reversing infertility in couples. The first resort I always give to my patients and has worked wonderfully for nearly 80% of them is the Pregnancy Miracle System. Pregnancy Miracle is an all natural holistic solution for infertility patients. Read more about it here.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/what-is-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos-understanding-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatment-3554467.html

About the Author

Mark Pelore is a doctor specialized in Infertility and Pregnancy, and is based in Beverly Hills, Carlifornia

My History

My menstrual cycle started when I was 12 years old. I was elated because I translated this experience into being a rights of passage for me. I had learned that having this experience takes you into womanhood, which enables you to bare life. Little did I know, that it didn't work that way for everyone.

My cycles were irregular. I was told that the irregularities were only temporary because I was just starting my period. By age 16, I was still having cycles; however my cycles were still very erratic and unpredictable.

There were times in which I may have had 3-4 periods per year. At that time, I didn't mind because the P.M.S. symptoms I experienced were horrible.

I also noticed that I was developing hurtisim, which is excessive body hair growth.
No one was able to explain why this was happening to me. I was prescribed various birth control pills. I was also prescribed topical medications to help reduce the appearance of facial hair.

The purpose of the contraceptive pills was to assist my body in regulating my periods. I was advised that once the pills regulated my system, I would be fine.

I was also later diagnosed as having very high prolactin levels. Prolactin is a milk secreting hormone. The hormone causes lactating moms to secrete milk for her baby. When prolactin levels are high, the body does not ovulate. As a result I was prescribed more hormonal medications.

Nothing seemed to work for me. In fact, the hormonal treatments seemed to make matters worse. I tried several medications out of desperation in effort to help correct my problem. Unfortunately; no one had a resolve for me.

By age 19, I was convinced that something was very wrong.  All of the previous issues mentioned continued to exist.  In addition to that, I was in a long-term relationship in which no pregnancies occurred.

Both my boyfriend and I were college students. We were not in a position to raise a family together; yet we lived together in the same household and took no precautions to avoid pregnancy.

Our negligence was due primarily to the fact that we believed that I was infertile.
Eventually the relationship dissolved (thank goodness!) and we parted our ways. That relationship ended in 1992.

I took a break from monogamous relationships and began dating and maintaining platonic relationships. I was on the dating scene for 6 more years before I had the desire to return to a monogamous relationship. After 6 years, I finally met a gorgeous man. This man was so handsome, he was neat, clean cut and had a big ego.

I was attracted to his physical appearance, yet I was more attracted to his intelligence. He stimulated my mind like no other man had done before. His personality was hard, yet soft. The minute I set eyes on him, I knew that I wanted to mother a child by him. I recalled a tiny voice in my head saying "I wanna have his baby", when we met for the first time.

Why I was thinking like that, I don't know, all I knew was that I wanted to have a child by this man. The chemistry was there and we both expressed an desire to be with one another. I was 25 and he was 24, we both were still fairly young, yet I knew that a child was one of the things I wanted more than life itself.

I continued to learn more about this man, began to fall in love with this man, and feel connected to this man. This relationship would be the shift in my life in which I learned diligence, persistence, disappointments, faith, joy and hope.

My next post will be a fast forward to how we get to the point of agreeing to attempt to co-parent together, the ups and downs, the trills and the chills.

Until then, stay blessed and stay abreast of the drama and the challenges of the Single Momma Blogger!

Single With Infertility Issues. What do I do?

As a single mother of a 5 year old, I am motivated to  make money while my 5 year old is sound asleep in my bed next to me. Yes, as she lays next to me so angelically, I can work and make money for the creation of this post.

I take so much pride in motherhood, especially because there was a time in which I was told that it would never happen. My dreams were shattered, my heart was torn, and I spent many days depressed that I would never have the opportunity to share my baby stories with friends and family, or carry around a brag book with my baby's pictures, or have someone to love unconditionally and to reciprocate that love to.

There were emotions of anger, fear and anxiety that I have experienced.  Feelings of doubt and negativity.  Yet there was a deep urge and yearning for motherhood that just wouldn't allow me to accept that I would never birth a child of my own. 

I read, I researched, I visualized, I prayed and I created a hope box, for a baby that I had no idea of how he or she was going to manifest into my life.

In order to understand why I had such a battle with infertility, I plan to share with you my  with plight with a condition known as Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and how I overcame infertility in order to conceive my beautiful daughter.  I will take you inside my longing heart and all of the challenges I encountered.

You will also learn about my personal decision to willing become a single mother and what it was like for me to pursue motherhood as a single, unwed mother.  I will talk about my ups and down before pregnancy and after pregnancy, my dream of becoming a mother and how it totally changed my life for the best. 

So please stay abreast of my post as I keep you informed and hopefully and supply you with hope and inspiration. 

In the meantime, be blessed and check me out again for more entries of baby momma drama from the Single Momma Blogger!