Since it's National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), I wanted to make people aware of PCOS.
The following is taken directly from the PCOS Support site.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common female endocrine disorder, affecting approximately 5%-10% of all females. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that involves multiple organ systems within the body, and is believed to be fundamentally caused by insensitivity to the hormone insulin. It can be diagnosed in all phases of life - in girls as young as 8-9 years of age, up through post-menopause. Although PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility, the reproductive aspects of the disorder are secondary. PCOS is not limited to women of reproductive age or potential.
Common symptoms of PCOS include:
- irregular or no menstrual periods (for women of reproductive age)
- irregular ovulation, with or without monthly bleeding
- acne
- excess hair growth on the face and body
- thinning scalp hair
- accumulation of unruptured follicles on the periphery of the ovaries (mislabeled as "cysts", often called polycystic ovaries)
It is not necessary to have all of these symptoms to have PCOS. In fact it is not necessary to have "polycystic ovaries" to have PCOS. PCOS manifests itself differently in each woman.
In addition to the above, approximately 60% of women with PCOS have weight management issues which can lead to obesity with only normal caloric intake. Energy in the form of glucose (food) is stored right away as fat, instead of being made available for other functions within the body. This can lead to chronic fatigue and undernourishment, despite the fact that there is adequate food intake and even an appearance of overnourishment. However, it's important to note that 40% of women with PCOS are of normal weight, or even fall under a normal weight range.
There is no cure for PCOS, but it can be successfully managed through diet, exercise, and in some cases medical intervention. Management of PCOS is essential, as unmanaged PCOS can progress to diabetes, and can also lead to certain forms of cancer if unaddressed.
For more information on PCOS, visit the PCOS Support website.
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6 comments:
Isn't it amazing that only 5-10% of the population has it, yet when we're given the odds of only 5-10% of getting pregnant the odds don't work for us then?! Bah!
I never heard of PCOS before my diagnosis. But now I hear it all the time. I was very underweight until my late 20's. I actually struggled to put weight on. Now I struggle to keep weight off!
Thank you for this post. It's so important to educate others.
You rock!
Well done Hannah for raising awareness. Fran
This is a great post. Thanks for sharing...it's got all of the pertinent information in there!
I can't say enough how I do not believe that we would have had success at getting pregnant had my RE not explained how he believes that most PCOS patients have some form of insulin resistance, so they don't process carbs and sugars like they should. This made perfect sense to me...we eliminated those things, took the met, and BAM! pregnant after 3+ years TTC! I just don't think that message is portrayed often enough by REs, they're quick to shove IVF down our throats when it can be solved with proper nutrition. I'm so thankful that I had an RE that was willing to forego the 15 grand we were ready to shell out to him and actually treat the condition.
Anyway, great post and thanks for educating others!
Thanks for this post...its great you are raising awareness!
great post... I don't have PCOS... but you given us all really informative info and if someone suspects that they have PCOS... they can ask their Dr.... you really do ROCK!!
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