PCOS – Basics
The reason why you are reading this article might be because you were recently diagnosed as having PCOS or are trying to conceive actively for some time now without success. For newly diagnosed women let me explain to you what it means to have PCOS.
Let me begin by stating this fact- PCOS (Poly-cystic ovaries) is not a disease, it’s a syndrome. Which means, you can conceive and you can deliver healthy babies too, more still you can live a normal life. Iam not sure whether it can be cured completely, but it can be prevented by diet, exercise and a little medical help. Anyways the good news is we can definitely win over it.
PCOS explained in simple terms: For any healthy female having normal ovaries, eggs grow (1 or 2 or in rare cases more) and mature during the first part of their cycle (usually from day 3 to day 12), and when they completely mature, they are released during ovulation (a 1 day event).
But for a female with PCOS, ovaries get enlarged (Ultrasound scan can show) and have not one or two, but several fluid filled sacs or cysts. The eggs inside the sacs grow, but are not released into the fallopian tube where ideally it should wait for fertilization.
Since eggs are not released, monthly cycles are not normal and sometimes are all over the place. Once this happens, it affects your ability to conceive normally as it would be hard for you to correctly guess your ovulation day.
Symptoms vary from individual to individual. Some of the most common symptoms are: abnormal cycles, no ovulation taking place, excessive hair, acne (adult acne too), over-weight or under-weight, sometimes hair loss, not able to conceive, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, thyroid malfunctions, depression etc. There are females with no major symptoms, but still are diagnosed having PCOS.
PCOS is a major cause of infertility and approximately 10% female have this syndrome. So cheer up, you will get plenty of PCOS friends to take advice from. Read PCOS success stories to keep yourself motivated all the time and of course watch what you are eating. Whatever treatment you are taking, a sugar-free diet will accelerate your success rate.
At the end I would suggest all mothers to watch their daughter’s cycles and identify the symptoms in the early stage itself. If anytime you feel her cycles are not normal, take medical help or read actively about how to correct this problem. As always, preventing PCOS is better than trying to cure it.
abnormal cycles, cause of infertility
