Polycystic ovary syndrome is something that affects a lot of women today. When the ovaries do not work as required to make follicles and produce eggs, PCOD may be observed. There are complications associated with pregnancy for women with the syndrome.
However, this does not mean that women who have PCOD can never get pregnant. It just takes a little effort and time. Medications are often prescribed to help the ovaries function to produce eggs. PCOD has the potential to affect women negatively, but its effective treatment can help women lead normal lives.
PCOD Symptoms
In a nutshell, the symptoms of PCOD include:
- irregular periods
- Growth of facial hair, loss of hair
- Acne
- Less than 8 periods per year
- Weight gain
- Trouble in conceiving
Complications:
Other than the effects that PCOD has on the child-bearing ability of a woman, it can also lead to other health issues including:
●Diabetes
●High cholesterol
●Sleep apnea (issues with breathing during sleep)
Getting tested
If you think you exhibit some of the symptoms that characterize PCOD, you might want to consider visiting a doctor to be advised on what tests to take. Usually, the suggested tests include:
●Blood tests to measure hormones, blood sugar, and cholesterol
●A pregnancy test if menstruation has been irregular
●Pelvic ultrasound – Used to track the follicles produced by the ovaries
How is PCOD treated?
The most common treatment is to take birth control pills. The pills don’t cure the disease but can improve many of its symptoms.
Other treatments for symptoms of PCOD and its symptoms are:
- Anti-androgens: These medications block hormones that cause PCOD.
- Progestin: Used to regulate menstruation if taken every month, and lowers the risk of cancer as well.
- Metformin: Helps keep blood sugar regulated in diabetic women, and also regulates periods (has shown to work in some cases only).
- Medicated lotion for acne
- Laser therapy to remove hair
- If the patient is overweight, regular exercise can regulate the disease slightly.
Do you think you exhibit some of the symptoms of PCOD? Get tested here!