Silent Cause Of Infertility In Women

Source : BOPA

Author : Terry Makgoeng

Location : Gaborone

Event : Feature Article

What Is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones. It should be noted that ‘syndrome` means that the condition has two to three other conditions. The changes make it harder for a woman's ovaries to release fully grown (mature) eggs. Usually, one or more eggs are released during a woman's period. This is called ovulation. In PCOS, mature eggs are not released from the ovaries. Instead, they can form very small cysts in the ovary. This is the reason why this disorder is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful but lead to hormonal imbalances.

PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. The condition affects as many as 1 out of 15 women. Often the symptoms begin in the teen years. According to Dr Mula Ahmed, a gynaecologist at Bokamoso Private Hospital, “PCOS is common in women of ages between 12 and 45,” He alleges that there is a continual etiology and that the condition is highly related to chemicals produced from within the endocrine. The exact cause of PCOS is not yet known but there is strong evidence that it is a genetic disease but can also result from environmental factors.

It seems to run in families, so your chance of having it is higher if other women in your family have PCOS, irregular periods, or diabetes. PCOS can be passed down from either your mother's or father's side. But the cases are so few that doctors only very rarely come across tm. Throughout his practice in Botswana,, Dr Mula is yet to see one  a  case.       He attributes the cause of PCOs to poor management of pelvic inflammatory diseases among women.

Symptoms of PCOS include changes in a woman`s menstrual cycle. These changes include:  Having no period after you have had one or more normal ones during puberty, known as secondary amenorrhea; Irregular periods, that may come and go and may be very light or very heavy. In Botswana, there is poor diagnosis of this condition simply because of the patients ever so rarely visit their gyane.

 “In that sense, we are unable to detect when someone has it” says doctor Mula. Again in Botswana, patients don`t stick to one doctor and as a result it becomes difficult to tell if someone has the PCOS because it has a variety of symptoms.

PCOS can cause the person to develop male-like characteristics. This is called virilization. Symptoms include; Decreased breast size; Enlargement of the clitoris; Thinning of the hair on the head, called male-pattern baldness; voice also gets deeper. You may also have skin changes: Acne that gets worse; Dark or thick skin markings and creases around the armpits, groin, neck, and breasts.

 The following health conditions are also common in women with PCOS: Depression, Diabetes, High blood pressure, High cholesterol, weight gain and obesity.

Treatment For PCOS

If you`re overweight, your doctor may suggest some lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of developing several health conditions associated with PCOS. Dr Mula mentions obesity as one of the attributes of PCOS. He says: “the more a woman a woman gains weight, the more the chances of PCOS and so weight control is essential.” 

Losing weight can help treat the hormone changes and health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Losing just 5% of your body weight can help your hormone imbalance and may make it easier for one to get pregnant. Birth control pills may also help in making the periods more regular. Such medicines may also help reduce abnormal hair growth after you take them for a few months.

 A diabetes medicine called glucophage can also help as it has the following effects: Make periods regular; Prevent type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss when a healthy diet is followed.

But, “the good news is that there is plenty of hope and knowledge and the young woman at the receiving end of this diagnosis need never identify themselves with the label PCOS!”, says Dr Erika Schwartz, a leading patients advocate and lexpert on bioidentical hormones. She suggests the following as treatment for arguesand alleges it has a high level of success:

1. Diet: Hormone healthy food like fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans, lean cuts of meat, fish and whole grains. No junk foods (no saturated fats, no trans fats, no processed foods, no soda, NO sugar substitutes, no or limited amounts of alcohol)
2.  Exercise: A minimum of 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week as individually appropriate. Start slowly and build up kindly and gently to a serious level of activity. It will strengthen the young woman and help her build significant self-confidence improve her hormonal imbalance.
3.  Try n atural Progesterone. Many of the symptoms are caused by hormonal imbalances prevalent in teens and ensuring there is progesterone will help the young woman's hormonal balance and may eliminates most of the problems.
4.  Thyroid function evaluation and treatment.

Teaser:

Being told that you are infertile can be devastating, especially if you are a woman. A woman who is told that she cannot conceive  will not be bothered by the fact that she will never caddle her own baby, but also because the society expects her to bear babies. While many women can go for years trying to establish why they cannot conceive, it has been recently established that a coindition known as  Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the major cause of their frustration.