The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome of the PCOS is a condition where a woman’s sex hormones inclusive of estrogen and progesterone and not produced in the correct quantity and or at the right point in her menstrual cycle. This condition may lead to the formation of cysts on the ovaries and interfere with their proper functioning. Women who suffer from PCOS very frequently complain of problems with the menstrual cycle, lack of fertility, and difficulties in the proper functioning of the heart. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services says that the condition could be found in around 5million women only in the United States.
The exact causes that may lead to the development of the condition cannot be pointed out with certainty but there is overall consensus that the condition could be linked to the high levels of insulin in a woman’s body and also the abnormal production of a male sex hormones known as ‘androgens’, a hormone that women also produce in insignificant quantities. The condition is also seen to run in the genes, so in a family where there is a history of the disease, a woman of the same family is quite likely to be diagnosed with it. In some women, the condition could also result from obesity. This means that women who have a family history of the disease and those who are overweight are more likely to find out that they suffer from the disease.
The symptoms of PCOS could become evident from the time a girl hits puberty in the form of irregular menstrual cycle. Even though the intensity with which the symptoms present themselves could vary in between one woman and another, the common manifestations of the condition include abnormal growth of hair on the face, the chest and the stomach, reduction in breast size, deeper voice and insubstantial hair thickness. Other exhibitions of PCOS may include acne, excessive weight, pain in the pelvic area, anxiety and depression and partial or complete infertility. In some women, the disease may also cause a few other health challenges like diabetes, high cholesterol, and even weight gain.
In the evaluation of PCOS in a laboratory, the medical professionals have to carry out a number of tests to rule out other conditions including pregnancy, Hypothyroidism, the late onset of CAH, Ovarian tumor, hyperthecosis, Adrenal tumor, and Cushing's syndrome. All of these conditions are ruled out through various tests which are the pregnancy test, TSH, Prolactin, 17-Hydroxyprogesterone, Total Testosterone, total testosterone, DHEA-S and 24-hour urine free cortisol respectively. Pelvic ultrasonography could also be employed as means of confirming the condition, but the shortcoming of this approach is that ovaries that have cysts are not specific only to PCOS.
There is no one treatment which could completely cure the condition and the manifestations that come alongside. Rather, treatment of the disease involves the management of the symptoms of PCOS. Medication and hormonal treatments are administered to regulate menses, to control the excessive growth of hair, and to regulate the production of the hormones which are not regularized in the body. The treatment and the management process also involve the treatment of infertility that might have resulted from the anomaly.
Surgery in PCOS may become necessary if a woman does not start to ovulate after the administering of medication for fertility. The surgery of such nature aims at improving the function of the ovaries through either the removal of part of the ovary or the drilling of the ovary to encourage ovulation.
Even though the polycystic syndrome cannot be prevented, an early diagnosis could help with management. Also, since the problem is more common in women who suffer from obesity, exercise and weight loss could help reduce the risk.
Works Cited
Better Health Channel. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). n.d. 29 April 2016 <https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos>.
emedicine health. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (cont.). n.d. 29 April 2016 <http://www.emedicinehealth.com/polycystic_ovary_syndrome_pcos-health/page9_em.htm>.
Herndon, Jamie. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 03 August 2015. <http://www.healthline.com/health/polycystic-ovary-disease#Overview1>.
Sheehan, Michael T. "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management." Clinical Medicine & Research (2004): 13-27.
