PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease. However, the clinically preferred and more accurate term is PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).
PCOS is a common hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. It is defined by an imbalance of reproductive hormones, which creates problems in the ovaries.
What Happens in PCOS
The key features of PCOS are:
High Androgen Levels (Hyperandrogenism): The body produces higher-than-normal levels of male hormones (androgens), such as testosterone.
Menstrual Dysfunction: Irregular, infrequent, or prolonged menstrual periods due to the ovaries not regularly releasing an egg (ovulation).
Polycystic Ovaries: The ovaries may develop numerous small follicles (often called "cysts," but they are actually immature egg sacs) and fail to regularly release eggs.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms can vary widely among individuals but often include:
Irregular Periods: Oligomenorrhea (infrequent periods) or amenorrhea (no periods).
Excess Hair Growth (Hirsutism): Thick, dark hair growth on the face, chest, abdomen, and back.
Acne: Persistent, often severe, acne.
Weight Gain or Difficulty Losing Weight: Often concentrated around the abdomen.
Thinning Hair: Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair on the scalp.
Fertility Problems: Difficulty getting pregnant due to irregular or absent ovulation.
Skin Changes: Darkening of skin patches, particularly in neck creases, groin, and under breasts (acanthosis nigricans), often related to insulin resistance.
Associated Health Risks
PCOS is closely linked to insulin resistance, where the body's cells don't respond normally to insulin. This increases the risk for long-term health issues, including:
Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes (during pregnancy)
High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol (increasing heart disease risk)
Sleep Apnea
Endometrial Cancer (due to infrequent shedding of the uterine lining)