PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) - understand the signals of your body

Sometimes we just neglect our body's signal, thinking that...when time will come we will see it! Signals like irregular periods, no periods (that is periods skipped in a month). One of my childhood friends had irregular periods since adolescence. But she never said it to her mom, nor made any concern about the irregularity. But it mattered her when she got married and after trying to conceive for 2 years, and failed. She visited a gynecologist and after all discussions, she was sent for an ultrasound. Result came – she had PCOS i.e, poly cystic ovary syndrome. Below is an ultrasound image of a normal ovary and a poly cystic ovary.

Normal

This is Ultrasonography of normal ovary showing mature follicle which is about to ovulate.

Ovary with PCOS

This is USG of an ovary with PCOS showing multiple follicle..

PCOS occurs in 5% to 10% of women and is the most common cause of infertility in women. The symptoms of PCOS may begin in adolescence with menstrual irregularities, or a woman may not know she has PCOS until later in life when she tries to have babies and she fails. Irregular periods means, ovulation is not regular and hence one can’t achieve successful pregnancy. Diabetes, too much weight gain, man like hair on body are few more symptoms.

What are the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?

The principal signs and symptoms of PCOS are related to menstrual disturbances and elevated levels of male hormones. Menstrual disturbances can include delay of normal menstruation and in some ladies no periods at all!

Treatment –

My friend was given a medication called clomiphene citrate (Clomid). Doctors said it induces ovulation, so now she can target the date 14th starting from 1st day of periods and conceive accordingly. Clomid is given for 5days starting from 3^rd  - 7^th day of period with a dose of 50mg, if after 3-4 months of medication there is no successful pregnancy then the dose is raised to 100mg and again monitored. Usually Clomid success rate is much more but in some unfortunate cases, pregnancy is not attained.

            Other more aggressive treatments for infertility including injection of gonadotropin hormones for women who desire pregnancy and do not become pregnant on Clomid therapy.

Sometimes Metformin is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. This drug affects the action of insulin and is useful in reducing a number of the symptoms and complications of PCOS.

It all depends on luck that which treatment will suit a lady with PCOS and at what time, some get preggy with one clomid cycle and some don’t get preggy even after 2 yrs of treatment, my friend is one of them. she is still under treatment and very depressed. :(


 So, never neglect signals of your body and do consult your gynecologist if you have irregular periods..