Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD): KEEP CALM AND FIGHT PCOD

Introduction

Every day is a struggle for women that are suffering from PCOD and the woman who is facing this issue knows the actual pain. Over 10,000,000 women suffer from PCOD all over the world.PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease commonly known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It is considered a serious women's issue because it is a hormonal disorder that affects the reproductive system of women. During the past few years, it is noticed that over 3,190 articles were published related to polycystic ovarian disease because the number of cases is increasing and most women are not aware of this syndrome. So by this article, we are here to inform you all about PCOD’s.  

According to doctors, it is said that the main cause of PCOD is still a mystery but an unhealthy lifestyle and early age of menarche are the prime factors of PCOD. It is a major ailment that makes the ovary enlarged and leads to excessive production of oestrogen and androgen hormones. Excessive production of these hormones results in many health problems like perinatal complications, diabetes, conceiving, and many more. Women’s reproductive system is functioned by these hormones namely oestrogen, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, androgen, and progesterone, an imbalance within these hormones in the woman's reproductive system leads to a disorder known as polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD).

Recent reports of PCOD-

Did you know that 1 in 5 women in India suffers from PCOD? In a recent study of women with PCOD, it is found in 6-10% of the female population. Additionally, other studies suggest that 8.0% of American women, 6.8% in Greek, 6.5% in Spain, and 13% in Mexican are facing this hormonal disorder. Reports suggest that Mexican-Americans have one of the highest rates of PCODS all over the world. Also, it is noticed that the average age group suffering from PCOD varies between 17 and 45 years. Studies of women show that the prevalence of the syndrome among obese patients is 45% as compared to 15% of normal people.

What are the common symptoms of PCOD?

PCOD is a complex issue and it is spreading worldwide. However, the possible symptoms of the polycystic ovarian disease are as follows:

1)      Infertility- PCOD is considered the main cause of infertility in women as it prevents ovulation. Women having PCOD experience loss of ovulation, the growth of eggs from the ovaries decreases or the process of ovulation does not takes place and subsequently, it causes infertility in women.

2)      Premature birth- It is noted in recent reports that one-fifth of premature births occurred only because of the mother having PCOD. Women with PCOD are at higher risk of giving premature birth to infants and can struggle to become pregnant.

3)  Irregular periods- Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome commonly experience irregularity in periods because eggs are not released and the level of androgen and estrogen is too high. Therefore, it creates problems in the reproductive cycle.

4)      Mental disorder- Most of the women with PCOD are struggling with disorders like anxiety, stress, and depression. The fact that polycystic ovarian syndrome makes a patient feel more anxious and uncomfortable.

5)     Obesity- According to recent reports, it is noted that 40-80% of women with PCOD are obese or overweight. The reason for obesity in women struggling with polycystic ovarian syndrome is a high rate of glucose intolerance developing in the body. However, PCOD can affect women in physical terms and results in irregular body shape or overweight.

 What are the causes of PCOD?

 PCOD is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women. And we need to understand this disorder along with the causes. Following are the causes of PCOD that are mostly noticed:

⮚      Unhealthy lifestyle: It is noticed that an unhealthy lifestyle creates a higher risk of PCOD in women. Lack of nutritional food, consuming alcohol, drugs, and junk food is the main objective of an unhealthy lifestyle that is affecting women’s health and leads to hormonal disorders.

⮚      Excess production of certain hormones: The major cause of PCOD is excessive production of certain hormones named oestrogen and androgen hormones. These hormones start functioning at higher production that leads to many skin problems.

⮚      Production of Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and helps glucose to enter the body. However, excess production of insulin increases the level of androgens hormones and as a result, it leads to PCOD in women.

⮚      Genetics: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a major ailment and it can be caused in many ways. It is found that parental analysis or genetics is also the main factor of PCOD. Many recent studies have suggested that a genetic disorder can be linked to PCOD patients. The genetic behavior of PCOD between families varies from one generation to another and hence, it increases the hypothesis for a genetic predisposition.

⮚      Low-grade inflammation: According to gynaecologists, a low level of inflammation could be the reason behind PCOD as they produce an excessive amount of androgens.

What are the complications of PCOD?

Undoubtedly, PCOD is a complex hormonal issue and it can lead to several health problems such as diabetes, perinatal issues, and the process of conceiving. Women who are facing PCOD are at higher risks for complications such as breast cancer, high cholesterol level, gestational diabetes, and even endometrial cancer. Other complications of PCOD are infertility, miscarriage, abnormal bleeding, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, anxiety, and premature delivery.

How can PCOD affect pregnant women?

Women with polycystic ovarian disease PCOD experience a lot of trouble in her teen as well as in adulthood. But during pregnancy, they face many complications such as premature birth, miscarriage, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Infants born to mothers suffering from the polycystic ovarian disease have a higher risk of dying at the time of delivery. Most of the complications of pregnant women are associated with PCOD and may increase the risks affecting babies. So if you are a PCOD patient and get pregnant, then it is advisable to consult your doctor or gynaecologist to avoid any kind of health issue.

How PCOD can be treated?

Uncontrolled PCOD can lead to many health problems and women should be aware of treating this issue by making early modifications. PCOD can’t be cured by a particular treatment but it can be managed by some treatments. Medicines and pills are the first steps towards the treatment of PCOD. Oral contraceptive pills (OCP) are used to regulate the reproductive cycle and they also decrease the production of androgen hormones. Metformin is sometimes used to treat PCOD because it can help control ovulation and makes your menstrual cycle regular. A doctor will always recommend you a balanced and healthy lifestyle whether you are a PCOD patient or not. But a healthy lifestyle is a prime treatment for the patients of PCOD.

 Also practicing yoga and doing exercises are important ways to cure PCOD because they improve your health conditions like infertility, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and play an important role in controlling diabetes as well. To avoid pigmentation, acne and excessive hair growth some skin treatments are also available to cure them. Girls suffering from PCOD may experience depression and mental stress. In this case, a therapist or a counselor will help you a lot to cope with this situation.   Some cases require several surgical methods that are also available to cure PCOD like cyst aspiration, laparoscopic ovarian drilling, oophorectomy,etc . So if any lady is going through a severe issue in PCOD then they can go with this treatment as well.

Conclusion

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common and serious disorder affecting women of the age group between 17 to 45 years old. There are millions of women who are facing this issue worldwide. But just like factors, there are many solutions as well. In my opinion, women need to be aware of this syndrome by maintaining a healthy lifestyle because women of rural areas don’t know what PCOD is! We can be their helping hands by organizing campaigns or holding events regarding PCOD. We can conclude on this quote,

“ WE ARE THE FIGHTERS NOT THE SUFFERERS AND WE WILL WIN”.

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