Tag: PCOS

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Health: Fertility Problems Could Be Caused by PCOS

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of women in their reproductive years. It is considered one of the leading causes of subfertility in females. Subfertility describes a situation where a person less fertile than normal but still capable of reproducing. PCOS is treatable.

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How excess body hair can be a warning sign of infertility

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The 30-year-old sales and marketing manager from Buckinghamshire has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal imbalance in which women’s ovaries produce excessive amounts of the male hormone testosterone.

This results in the formation of small harmless cysts as well as symptoms such as excessive hair growth (known as hirsutism), baldness, erratic periods, weight gain, acne and fertility problems.

The condition, which affects one in ten British women, should not be confused with polycystic ovaries, which merely describes the appearance of small cysts on the ovaries. (Roughly 20 per cent of women have this condition with no effects at all and no problems conceiving.)

Women with PCOS have both the cysts and the symptoms caused by excess testosterone.

While Marianne is fortunate to have few of the symptoms, she is blighted by excess hair, which she says makes her feel utterly unfeminine.

‘As well as waxing my face every fortnight, I use an epilator on my abdomen,’ she says.

‘If I didn’t, the hair on my face and body, which is thick and very dark, would be grotesque.

‘Bill is sweet and maintains he doesn’t notice a thing, but it’s impossible for him not to see the hair growth.

‘I hate it. I’m fighting what feels like a losing battle against hair sprouting in places no woman should have it.’

The condition can run in families and Marianne believes a great-aunt had it.

‘She didn’t have children, and I remember her whiskery chin very clearly,’ she says.

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What Is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects millions of women in the U.S. The underlying cause of this condition is not known.
 
Like most medical problems that are referred to as “syndromes”, PCOS is made up of a cluster of signs and symptoms. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have some or all of the following features:
 
  • Irregular or skipped menstrual periods
  • Obesity and difficulty controlling weight gain
  • Male pattern hair growth
  • Acne and other chronic skin conditions
  • Dark brown or black patches on the skin
 
Various hidden health problems such as diabetes or uterine cancer may be discovered with medical tests. Diagnosis is made by evaluating the presence of multiple symptoms and ruling out other conditions.
 
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Infertility
PCOS is the most common hormonal abnormality causing infertility in women. It affects fertility by suppressing ovulation. Egg follicles may begin to mature but do not ovulate or release the egg into the fallopian tube. These follicles remain as cysts in the ovaries. In women with PCOS, the ovaries also produce excessive amounts of testosterone (male hormone) that can lead to acne and hair growth. In the fat cells, testosterone is converted to estrogen, leading to excessive buildup of the uterine lining which may contribute to heavy or irregular bleeding.
 
Fertility Treatment for PCOS
High levels of insulin associated with obesity interfere with ovulation and also worsen PCOS symptoms. Minimizing insulin resistance via a healthy, safe weight loss regimen is a common first step for patients with PCOS who want to make conception more likely. Insulin regulating medications may also be prescribed. Some women are able to begin ovulating more normally at this point and may be able to conceive naturally.
Fertility enhancing drugs such as Clomid, Metformin and gonadotropins may be used to stimulate ovulation. This approach is tried after other potential causes of infertility have been ruled out. In-Vitro-Fertilization can also be used for some women with PCOS.
 
by: Dr. John Jain