At a Glance: PCOS

PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome or polycystic ovary syndrome. It affects as many as 1 out of 15 women.¹

According to PubMed Health, PCOS is “a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones.”²

When a woman has PCOS, her ovaries do not release mature eggs. Instead, they can form very small cysts in the ovary.²While these cysts are not harmful, they are responsible for the hormonal imbalance in women with PCOS.¹

Most of the time, PCOS is diagnosed in women in their 20s or 30s. However, it may also affect teenage girls.

The underlying cause of PCOS is excess insulin in the blood, a result of insulin resistance.
According to WebMD, symptoms of PCOS include:- Acne- Weight gain and trouble losing weight- Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.– Thinning hair on the scalp- Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
– Fertility problems. Many women who have PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).¹

– Depression

PCOS can predispose women to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, central obesity, fatty liver and diabetes.

With treatment, many women with PCOS are able to get pregnant. PubMed Health reports that in PCOS, “a pelvic laparoscopy may be done to remove to remove or alter an ovary to treat infertility. The effects are temporary.”²

Lifestyle changes, particularly stress reduction techniques, exercise and a low GI diet, have been shown to be a successful adjunct to medical treatment for PCOS.