Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a common hormonal system disorder occurring in women of reproductive age. It is also called PCOD. It is actually the most common hormonal disorder in women between the ages of 18 and 44. PCOS means a particular set of symptoms that occur when there is a hormonal imbalance in a woman. This set of symptoms include late or no periods, heavy bleeding during periods, growth of facial hair, acne, weight gain, pain in the pelvic region and difficulty in conception or getting pregnant.

In PCOS, the levels of androgen are raised more than the normal limits. Androgens are the male hormones. They are present in small quantities in normal females. When the levels increase, these can cause disturbance in menstrual periods and cause delayed menses. The normal ovulation cycle also gets disturbed and ovulation gets delayed or does not happen at all. Facial hair and hair on other parts of the body start appearing in females which are otherwise not present.

The exact cause of PCOS is not known. It has been observed that it tends to run in families. This does not mean that you will necessarily have it if your mother or sister or grandmother had it. But this means that the chances of you having it increases if someone in your family had it. Obesity or being overweight is also another predisposing factor in the presence of PCOS. This means that if you are obese or overweight, your chances of developing PCOS are higher than those with normal weight. It has also been observed that the situation improves when you lose weight. The condition tends to reverse with loss of weight. Therefore all patients who have PCOS are advised to lose weight and exercise regularly. Presence of diabetes or insulin resistance is also known to induce PCOS.

Symptoms

  • Irregular or completely absent periods
  • Heavier-than-normal menstrual bleeding
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Hirsutism (excessive facial or body hair)
  • Alopecia (male pattern baldness)
  • Overweight

Other symptoms are:

  • Acne
  • Skin tags (growths on the skin)
  • Brown skin patches
  • Reduced sex drive
  • Exhaustion or lack of mental alertness
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Sleep apnea (trouble breathing during sleeping)
  • Thyroid problems

Complications

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased triglycerides
  • Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Infertility
  • Metabolic syndrome

PCOS disrupts the reproductive cycle and exposes the uterus to a constant supply of estrogen, women with PCOS are at risk of:

  1. Abnormal uterine bleeding
  2. Cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer)
  3. During pregnancy, you may be at increased risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.

How does PCOS contribute to problems during pregnancy?

  1. Miscarriage- Women suffering from PCOS become more vulnerable to miscarriages during the initial months of pregnancy as compared to other women. Miscarriage is the loss of fetus prior to the completion of 20 weeks of pregnancy.
  2. Gestational Diabetes- This type of diabetes develops only during pregnancy due to the sugar build up caused by the hormones regulated by placenta (organ nourishing the fetus). Nevertheless, the condition can be kept under control and eventually subsides with the baby’s birth. However, the baby born in this case can be of an abnormally large size, be prone to breathing difficulties and suffer from low blood sugar. Additionally, both the mother and the child are likely to develop Diabetes Type 2 (resulting from insulin resistance) in their later lives.
  3. High Blood Pressure- PCOS results in high blood pressure during pregnancy, which if not taken care of at the right time, can worsen, thus affecting delivery.
  4. Preeclampsia- It is marked by a sudden rise in the blood pressure count following 20 weeks of pregnancy, which takes a toll on the mother’s brain functioning, liver and the kidneys. If left untreated, this can aggravate to cause seizures, organ damage and even, death, in some cases.
  5. Preterm Birth- This is a condition wherein the baby is born prematurely; i.e. prior to the completion of the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature birth might be the reason for many life-threatening health complications for the child.
  6. C-Section or Cesarean Delivery- Gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and other PCOS-related complications generate the need to go for a C-section delivery. It, being a surgical procedure, takes a longer recovery time than vaginal birth and may carry potential threats for both the mother and the baby.

PCOS & Homeopathy

When it comes to alternative systems or complementary treatments for PCOS, Homeopathy offers the best alternative. This is because Homeopathy focuses on treating and curing the root cause of the problem. Homeopathic medicines acts in such a way that it normalizes  the deranged hormonal secretions, gradually ovarian cysts will reduce and in meantime period irregularities and other abnormalities come back to normal side. Homeopathy treats the patient in a holistic manner without any side effects.