Obesity & PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disbalance in women who are of reproductive age. In this condition, the ovaries of the woman may become enlarged and they may develop numerous harmless fluid filled sacs (follicles). These follicles are underdeveloped sacs which are meant for developing eggs – when you have PCOS, these follicles fail to release the matured eggs.

PCOS is very common in recent days and affects many women. While these symptoms can be treated, some women do not even face any of the symptoms, thus it may go undiagnosed. The symptoms of PCOS can get worse if one is overweight or obese. Here are some symptoms of PCOS that you can notice:

• Irregular periods or no periods at all
• Excessive pain during periods accompanied with heavy flow
• Excess male hormones or androgen that can cause hirsutism i.e. growth of hair on the face, back, chest or butt
• Oily skin and breakouts like acne
• Thinning of hair or hair loss resulting in male pattern baldness
• Excessive weight gain
• Difficulty in conceiving
• Pain in the pelvic area
• Anxiety and depression

While PCOS cannot be fully cured, the symptoms can be treated to make them more manageable and even aid in getting pregnant. In order to understand how to manage PCOS, it’s important to understand the causes of the same.

PCOS is caused by excessive male hormone or androgen, which can also be triggered by excess insulin production, the hormone responsible for maintaining blood sugar levels. Many women with PCOS are insulin resistant, meaning that their body produces more of it, thus worsening the condition. PCOS can also be hereditary and aggravates with increased weight gain. Some ways to manage PCOS are as below:

• Eating a healthy and balanced diet
• Losing weight
• Hormonal  medications (like birth control pills) that help regulate hormone levels
• Laparoscopic ovarian drilling – a simple surgical procedure that uses heat or laser to destroy the tissues that produce the male hormones like testosterones