In order to fully understand the complications and treatment, let us understand the disease and why it happens.
What is PC OS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome or PC OS is a hormonal disbalance in women who are of reproductive age. The symptoms of PC OS can get worse if one is overweight or obese. While this was relatively much less talked about in the previous generations, it is now a common term and one that women are mostly aware about. All these collectively can negatively impact you or your baby. These follicles are underdeveloped sacs which are meant for developing eggs - when you have PC OS, these follicles fail to release the matured eggs.
Common symptoms of PC OS
PC OS is very common in recent days and affects many women. It may be possible that you have PC OS without symptoms or may be experiencing other things that affect fertility. As many women do not have symptoms, it’s best to ask your doctor about PC OS if you’re having trouble conceiving or have family members who suffer from the same. While PC OS can cause complications in conceiving, pregnancy and childbirth, it is now possible to treat the symptoms and conceive and deliver babies safely with the right steps and doctor’s suggestions. Women with high blood pressure are also at the risk of developing other diseases like Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and more. This has enabled women with PC OS to lead relatively normal lives, where they are able to conceive and deliver safely and also manage the symptoms of PC OS.
FAQ
What happens to PC OS during pregnancy?
PC OS is not a fully treatable disease and thus doesn’t fully go away.
Pregnancy and PC OS
PC OS and pregnancy - this is perhaps one of the most discussed topics among women who are trying to get pregnant. The first important step in this regard is to do a full body checkup to understand the present condition. However, with some lifestyle changes and medications, one can manage the symptoms well. Many women with PC OS are insulin resistant, meaning that their body produces more of it, thus worsening the condition. Here are some symptoms of PC OS that you can notice:
● Irregular periods or no periods at all
● Excessive pain during periods accompanied by heavy flow
● Excess male hormones or androgen that can cause hirsutism, i.e. All this information and knowledge has also led to increased research and studies on the same. Some ways to manage PC OS are as below:
● Eating a healthy and balanced diet
● Losing weight
● Cutting down on or avoiding smoking and alcohol
● Hormonal medications (like birth control pills) that help regulate hormone levels
● Laparoscopic ovarian drilling - a simple surgical procedure that uses heat or laser to destroy the tissues that produce the male hormones like testosterone
Pregnancy complications in PC OS
While many women do successfully become pregnant, with some lifestyle changes, there are others who may struggle more. Which in turn can affect the unborn child. PC OS can also be hereditary and aggravates with increased weight gain. PC OS also poses other threats to pregnant women like gestational diabetes, miscarriage, premature birth and high blood pressure. With the advent of modern technology, it is now possible to safely conceive and carry your baby to term. PC OS generally decreases the chances of conception, as the increased levels of male hormones deter the maturation and release of eggs. In order to understand how to manage PC OS, it’s important to understand the causes of the same.
PC OS is caused by excessive male hormone or androgen, which can also be triggered by excess insulin production, the hormone responsible for maintaining blood sugar levels. During pregnancy, it’s best to keep a close eye on your health due to health risks of PC OS and pregnancy. While there is an increased awareness about the same, many women may not notice that they have it till they try to conceive. These can include the following:
● Losing weight - weight loss (even 5-10%) has shown to drastically increase the chances of conceiving and also managing the symptoms of PC OS
● Monitoring hormone levels, noting down menstrual cycles and tracking ovulation cycle can also help assess the situation better and thus prepare accordingly for the same
● Medications - if the above two fail, your doctor can put you on some fertility medications to increase your chances at conceiving naturally
● If medications fail, you can always consult doctors at fertility clinics to explore options like IVF
Key takeaway
PC OS for women is nowadays more common than ever, which has in turn led to more knowledge about the same. In this condition, the ovaries of the woman may become enlarged, and they may develop numerous harmless fluid filled sacs (follicles). While these symptoms can be treated, some women do not even face any of the symptoms, thus it may go undiagnosed. With PC OS, women also may need to deliver via C-section.
However, not all hope is lost if you have PC OS and want to have a baby. Depending on the condition, your doctor may suggest a few things to successfully conceive. Women with PC OS are also at a higher risk of miscarriage, but with the proper knowledge, precautions and doctor’s guidance it is possible to have safe pregnancy and delivery even with PC OS.
Can PC OS cause birth defects?
While studies do not offer a conclusive result on whether PC OS causes birth defects, the other symptoms and side effects of PC OS can negatively impact your or your child’s health during childbirth. Thus, it’s best to know more about PC OS and follow all the doctor’s suggestions on the same.
What is the success rate of pregnancy with PC OS?
While many women struggle to get pregnant with PC OS, most women are able to do so with some lifestyle changes like losing weight, avoiding smoking and alcohol and consulting doctors for other changes and medication.
What happens if PC OS is left untreated?
If left untreated, PC OS can worsen the other symptoms thus leading to poor health and increased health risks caused by high blood pressure and cholesterol (which in turn affect cardiovascular health), diabetes, sleep apnea etc. Follow the doctor’s advice and stay healthy to minimize the effects of PC OS on pregnancy.
How does PC OS affect early pregnancy?
PC OS causes many diseases in women like diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol etc. growth of hair on the face, back, chest or butt
● Oily skin and breakouts like acne
● Thinning of hair or hair loss resulting in male pattern baldness
● Excessive weight gain
● Difficulty in conceiving
● Pain in the pelvic area
● Anxiety and depression
How to manage PC OS
While PC OS cannot be fully cured, the symptoms can be treated to make them more manageable and even aid in getting pregnant.
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