According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that as many as 1 out of every 10 women currently has Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS can suffer from a myriad of problems from adult acne to obesity. PCOS can also affect a woman's chances of getting pregnant and sustaining a pregnancy to term.
Normal Ovulation
In a normal functioning ovary, there are fluid filled sacs called follicles or cysts. Every month as the egg grows, the follicles' fluids build up. When the egg is mature, the follicle ruptures and the egg is released to travel through the fallopian tubes to the uterus to be fertilized. This is the normal process of ovulation.
Ovulation With PCOS
When a woman suffers from PCOS, her ovulation process becomes impaired. Women with PCOS do not make the necessary hormones that cause the egg to fully mature inside the follicle. In this case, the follicles will grow and collect fluid, but ovulation will not occur. The hormone progesterone is not made if ovulation fails to occur, and the lack of progesterone causes irregular or absent periods. Over time the follicles that failed to erupt become cysts on the ovaries.
Symptoms
According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of PCOS can include menstrual cycle irregularities, an excess of the male hormone androgen, obesity and polycystic ovaries. Many women will skip periods, find that their cycle length varies greatly, or just fail to menstruate at all. When an excess of androgen builds up in the system it can cause symptoms such as adult acne, excess facial and body hair, baldness, and skin tags (little fleshy pieces of skin that are often found on the neck or underarms). PCOS has also been known to cause insulin resistance, which can lead to obesity. Women with obesity caused by insulin resistance tend to carry an excess amount of fat around the abdomen.
Infertility
PCOS affects a woman's ability to conceive. When a woman fails to ovulate, there is no egg to be fertilized. On the other hand, if a woman's periods are irregular, it may become difficult for her to track her cycle to discover when she is most likely to conceive.
Treatment
The American Pregnancy Association reports that treatment for PCOS involves regulation of hormones. Physicians will often prescribe birth control pills to reduce the amount of androgen in the system and regulate a woman's menstrual cycle. Physicians may also prescribe the drug metformin to help regulate the amount of insulin produced by the body. Regulating insulin can also help with obesity. If a woman is attempting to conceive, she may use prescription fertility medications, such as clomid, or attempt in-vitro fertilization (IVF). A healthy diet and regular exercise can also help treat PCOS and help with conception.
Pregnancy
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services warns that women who conceive successfully and have PCOS often have a harder time sustaining a pregnancy. There is a higher incidence of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and miscarriage in women with PCOS. There are currently ongoing studies looking at the use of metformin during pregnancy to help combat excess hormones in the blood, but no conclusions have been made.
