Polycystic ovaries PCOD. Avoid the same.

Women with PCOS have greater chances of developing several serious health conditions. Recent studies found that: • Women with PCOS can have diabetes or pre-diabetes at early age. • Women with PCOS are at greater risk of having high blood pressure. • Women with PCOS can develop sleep apnea. This is when breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep. Women with PCOS may also develop anxiety and depression. It is important to talk to your doctor about treatment for these mental health conditions. Irregular menstrual periods and the lack of ovulation cause women to produce the hormone estrogen, but not the hormone progesterone. Progesterone causes the endometrium (lining of the womb) to shed each month as a menstrual period. Without progesterone, the endometrium becomes thick, which can cause heavy or irregular bleeding. Over time, this can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, when the lining grows too much, and cancer. I have PCOS. What can I do to prevent complications? If you have PCOS, get your symptoms under control at an earlier age to help reduce your chances of having complications like diabetes and heart disease. Talk to your doctor about treating all your symptoms, rather than focusing on just one aspect of your PCOS, such as problems getting pregnant. Also, talk to your doctor about getting tested for diabetes regularly. Other steps you can take to lower your chances of health problems include: • Eating right • Exercising • Not smoking