Posts Tagged ‘polycystic ovary syndrome’

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – Hormones

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which is also referred to as PCOS, is a condition that is caused by a hormonal imbalance in women. This condition is usually diagnosed in women and girls who are between the ages of 12-45.

Typical symptoms of PCOS include irregularities in menstrual periods, abnormal hair growth, thinning hair, and acne. Women with PCOS have increased risk having many kinds of complications. The most important ones include diabetes and infertility. As the matter fact, PCOS is number one reason for female infertility.

Having this condition can be quite frustrating, but fortunately it can be corrected. The key to treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is treating the hormonal balance by regulating the woman’s levels of estrogen and progesterone.

Common practise is to prescribe birth control pills. They help to increase estrogen and progesterone levels. On the other hand, they decrease the levels of testosterone. In this way, PCOS symptoms, such as acne and abnormal hair growth, can be kept in check.

Many women who have PCOS are overweight and this can further increase the risk of complications. Health experts have found that women who lose as little as ten or fifteen pounds can help correct the hormonal imbalance.

If a woman with PCOS is overweight, experts recommend for her to lose weight with a diet that includes a lot of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. Besides that, they should exercise regularly.

The hormonal imbalance caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can make it difficult to become pregnant, but this does not mean that a woman with this condition will never be able to have a child of her own. Many women have been able to successfully get pregnant after they lost a few pounds. Others may still experience difficulty getting pregnant and may need to take medications.

Two of the most commonly prescribed medications are metformin and clomid. One of the PCOS symptoms is insulin resistance. Metformin helps increase the body’s response to insulin and it can also help regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle, which makes it easier for her to conceive.

Clomid is a medication that helps induce ovulation. Many women have been able to get pregnant after taking clomid, but there is an increased risk of multiple gestation associated with taking it.

It is important that all women are familiar with PCOS. If they understand the condition they start easier seeking for help when the symptoms occur. There are effective ways to treat PCOS, such as birth control pills and weight loss among others.

Women who are trying to conceive should talk to their doctors about taking metformin and clomid.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is very common among women during their child-bearing years. If you are suffering from the condition there are some natural remedies for PCOS that can offer relief from the symptoms. Learn more by visiting at PCOSandFibroids.com. You will find information also about uterine fibroids treatment and symptoms.

Pregnancy And Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is condition of the ovaries, organs of the female reproductive system responsible for producing ova (eggs) and hormone secretion. This is an article about the risks of pregnancy when having PCOS. The ovaries release an egg from one side each month. Fertilization may or may not occur. Ovarian hormones control the menstrual periods and gestation as well as female characteristics such as distribution of hair and the shape of the body.

In PCOS, not only are the ovaries themselves enlarged, but the out surface has an abnormally large number of follicles. Follicles are sacs of fluid that grow around the eggs. They appear as small ‘bubbles’ on the surface of the ovary, or, on ultrasound, like black holes in the middle of the organs. The cause of the condition remains uncertain. About a quarter of all women show ovarian follicles on ultrasound but will not have symptoms. About ten per cent of all women are affected.

Women with the condition ovulate infrequently and have irregular menstrual periods. They may experience weight gain and have an atypical distribution of body hair, with concentrations on the face, upper arm and abdomen.

Pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome have a higher risk of gestational diabetes, or high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, even if they have never been diabetic before. This can lead to a condition called macrosomia, or high birth weight, in the newborn.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are more susceptible to miscarriage and early labour. This is because elevated insulin levels may disrupt the balance between blood clotting/clot prevention hormones. There is therefore a risk of blood clots interfering with the ability of the placenta to supply the fetus with nutrients and remove waste products. This can result in miscarriage.

The condition carries with it a 30 to 40 per cent risk of Early Pregnancy Loss (EPL), or miscarriage in months one, two or three of gestation. This is believed to be because of diminished production of a protein instrumental in implantation and maintenance of pregnancy.

There is also an increased incidence of high blood pressure, which is an indication of a serious complication of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, formerly known as ‘toxemia.’ This condition is also characterized by protein in the urine and edema, or swelling (abnormal fluid accumulation). Pre-eclampsia can lead to maternal convulsions and is a risk to the life of both mother and fetus. The only ‘cure’ is immediate delivery. With careful medical supervision and complete bed rest, gestation can be prolonged and both mother and child can survive and live healthy lives.

Newborns of mothers who have PCOS may spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit. They tend to be born pre-term or following induction of labor or Caesarean section as a result of complications. Many mothers have had fertility treatment, which often results in multiple births (twins, triplets). Some medications for PCOS are not suitable for use while pregnant. Achieving conception with this challenging condition is a blessing. There are risks, but with careful monitoring and supervision with your health care team, there is no reason your pregnancy should not go to term, or near term, and produce a healthy baby.

Reproductive Options For Women With Uterine Fibroids Or PCOS

Uterine fibroids and PCOS are common female reproductive disorders, affecting one in five women, and one in ten women, respectively. A fibroid typically strikes women in the twenty-five to thirty-five age range, while PCOS may affect girls who are just starting the menstrual cycle. Both conditions may contribute to infertility, but doctors have made many treatment advances, helping women in both situations to conceive.

An uterine fibroid is a benign tumor that grows within the muscle lining. Growth occurs when a single cell experiences genetic mutation, and begins to multiply uncontrollably. The growth is non-cancerous, and most women have no symptoms, and thus do not require treatment. However, some women do experience symptoms, like frequent urination, incontinence, pressure or pain in the pelvis, and severe bleeding.

Doctors may find a fibroid during an MRI, an ultrasound, or a simple pelvic exam. When a fibroid penetrates into the interior of the uterus, fertility may be decreased by as much as seventy percent. The decrease occurs because the presence of a fibroid increases the risk of miscarriage, by either decreasing the fetal blood supply, or causing inflammation of the uterine lining.

After a fibroids treatment, many women completely regain fertility. Women may deliver prematurely, however, or require a cesarean section, depending on the fibroid’s location. Women may also experience heavy bleeding, after delivery, and should be monitored carefully by their obstetrician.

Many treatments for a fibroid preserve fertility. Doctors may remove the fibroid using instruments and a camera, which are inserted through the cervix. Or, doctors may perform traditional surgery to remove the fibroid, called a myomectomy. Additionally, uterine artery embolization stops the blood supply to the fibroid, which causes it to shrink and die. There are also many natural remedies for uterine fibroids that can help to prevent them occurring in the future.

PCOS consists of clusters of small ovarian cysts. Cysts are usually two to nine millimeters in diameter, and are created when the female body produces too many androgens, which are male hormones. Elevated levels of androgens prevent ovulation, thus causing infertility.

PCOS includes many classic symptoms. These symptoms may include irregular menstrual cycles, or amenorrhea, weight gain and difficulty losing weight, and excessive hair growth on the body, with thinning hair on the scalp. Patients may also exhibit acne, along with symptoms of insulin resistance.

Ultrasound, MRI, or blood tests help doctors to make a PCOS diagnosis. Treatment is usually non-invasive, involving increased exercise, a nutritious diet, and quitting smoking. To help PCOS patients to ovulate, doctors may prescribe medications, to both lower insulin, and to stimulate egg production. There are also many other natural home remedies for PCOS to help relieving the symptoms.

Women have many options beyond hysterectomy. Doctors may treat both ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids with methods that do not damage the reproductive system. Women should keep this in mind, because experts believe that two-thirds of hysterectomies are performed unnecessarily. To preserve fertility, women should always obtain a second opinion, if hysterectomy is presented as the only option.

Before being treated for uterine fibroids, or PCOS, women should explain their desire to preserve fertility to their doctors. Many treatment options exist today, for both disorders, which are completely non-invasive, allowing women to become pregnant, and to carry babies to term. If a doctor does not respect that goal, and does not offer treatment alternatives beyond hysterectomy, women should take the time to obtain an additional consultation.