Ovulation and normal menstrual cycles can be affected by polycystic ovaries.
Having polycystic ovaries means suffering from a disorder that affects millions of women . The full name of this condition is polycystic ovary syndrome, and it is characterized by certain symptoms associated with the menstrual period.
This article presents the most important information regarding this disease. In this way, in the following sections it will be possible to understand what polycystic ovaries are, as well as what their causes, symptoms and treatment are.
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What are polycystic ovaries?
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a disorder caused by hormonal imbalances in the endocrine system . It affects women of reproductive age, and generally the ovaries of these women have certain abnormalities.
For example, it is common for the ovaries to be thicker and to contain cysts or follicles. These can be found in both ovaries, and through an ultrasound it is possible to observe them and therefore make the diagnosis.
It is a disorder that can cause pain and complications, although it does not normally represent a disabling disease. In any case, its symptoms can cause setbacks for some people, as explained in future sections.
Causes
The exact causes of the appearance of polycystic ovaries are not known . However, it seems that there are different factors that have a determining impact on the appearance of this disorder.
In the first place, it has been observed that an excess of the hormone insulin in the blood is related to the appearance of polycystic ovaries. Specifically, the increase in insulin causes androgen production to affect the ovaries, hindering their ability to ovulate.
On the other hand there is a relationship between inflammation of the body and polycystic ovaries. Studies indicate that women who have polycystic ovaries show a lower inflammatory response. Your white blood cells use fewer inflammatory substances to fight infection, which in turn stimulates your ovaries to make more androgens as well.
Another factor to be highlighted is genetics. Statistically women with blood relatives with polycystic ovaries are more likely to suffer from this disorder. Therefore, genes play an important role in the appearance of polycystic ovaries.
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Symptoms
The symptoms associated with polycystic ovaries often begin very early . Sometimes, this syndrome manifests itself during the first menstrual flow that a girl has in her life.
But this is not always the case, and in some cases the appearance of this disease is associated with other factors such as gaining weight. In this way, polycystic ovary syndrome can worsen with a substantial increase in body weight, although not all women are affected in the same way.
Irregular menstruation is undoubtedly one of the main causes of suffering from this disorder. Polycystic ovaries make menstrual periods irregular, and they may be less frequent than they should be (or sometimes too much). Women who suffer from it cannot predict the moment when their period will come, and the intervals can be longer than 40 days.
Androgen excess is associated with polycystic ovaries, and this has different consequences. Associated symptoms are increased hair on the face and body, the appearance of acne or the appearance of androgenic alopecia (with a typically male pattern).
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complications
Women who have polycystic ovaries can sometimes suffer from some health problems . It happens in some cases without being predictable, although a greater appearance is established in the case of women who are overweight.
Many of these complications are linked to the cardiovascular system. Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and metabolic syndrome are some of the conditions that can appear.
On the other hand there may be accumulation of fat in the liver and problems in other organs such as the uterus, in which bleeding can occur.
Other health problems that can affect women with PCOS affect sleep and mood. This is the case of sleep apnea, depression and anxiety.
Finally, it should be noted that this disorder can cause complications in terms of pregnancy conception. In cases where this happens, specific medical protocols are applied to combat infertility caused by this condition.
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Treatment
There is no cure for PCOS, but there are several ways to treat it . Of course, it is a type of disorder that does not affect all women equally, so it is not possible to generalize a treatment for all.
Regardless, one of the best measures to combat PCOS is to lose weight. By doing so, different things are achieved, such as improving the body’s resistance to insulin or the effectiveness of some drugs.
In fact, there are several medications that can be effective in combating the symptoms of polycystic ovaries. The most important are anti-estrogenic drugs, birth control pills, and progesterone therapy. Other drugs that the doctor can prescribe are metformin or those that are responsible for regulating hormones.
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Bibliographic references
- Legro, RS and Strauss, JF (2002). Molecular progress in infertility: polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility, 78(3), 569-576 .
- Goldenberg, N. & Glueck, C. (2008). Medical therapy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome before and during pregnancy and lactation. Minerva Gyneco, 60(1), 63-75 .
- Sirmans, S.M. & Pate, K.A. (2013). Epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Epidemiology, diagnosis and management of polocystic ovary syndrome. Clin Epidemiol., 6, 1-13 .
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