What Is PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disease that affects around 5-10% of all women. It is considered to be the disease that causes the most infertility cases in women. Experts are not yet sure what are the real cases of PCOS and it is believed that genetics have a lot to do with this disease. Cysts on the ovaries are also common in women who don't suffer of PCOS and they don't seem to be triggering the other symptoms. All in all, PCOS has a variety of symptoms, all generated by the fact that there is an excess of male hormones in the woman's body.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is very often associated with obesity and high blood pressure in women. It leads to infertility because ovulation in women does not happen as it should anymore. Women experience either anovulation or oligoovulation and their periods are in most of the cases irregular. These are symptoms that lead to infertility. Other symptoms are provoked by excessive male hormones and include skin problems and hair problems. PCOS sufferers are also familiar with acne, dandruff, oily skin and sometimes even baldness. Male hormones also lead to excessive hair growth on the body. All these problems are unpleasant for women and some of them are also dangerous because they can lead to other serious medical conditions. Insulin resistance was noticed in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Diagnosing this disease is not always easy because the symptoms are sometimes mild. Some of them evolve in years and it might take a long period of time to reach a correct diagnosis.

Women with PCOS need to get adequate treatment from a physician and to solve all the problems that occurred as a result of PCOS. Birth control problems or hormonal pills might be prescribed as well as medicine for diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Hirsutism and acne also need to be addressed. Weight matters a lot in women suffering of PCOS and this is why keeping their diet under control and focusing on healthy foods helps greatly, from a variety of points of view. Overweight women are also more likely to suffer of heart disease and conceive babies harder than women with a normal weight. Weight management is very important in patients with PCOS. Proper diet also helps in acne. Birth control pills are usually a good treatment alternative, but they can only be used in women that are not interested in getting pregnant in the near future. Anyway, birth control pills need to be prescribed by a specialist.