Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) has become one of the most prevalent endocrinopathy when it comes to women’s health, caused by an imbalance in reproductive hormones. The imbalance in hormones causes irregular or absent menstruation or ovulation which further causes female Infertility (inability to get pregnant).
How Does PCOS Affect fertility?
The hormonal imbalances in PCOS interfere with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). Without ovulation, there are no eggs available for fertilization, leading to infertility. The main factors contributing to infertility in PCOS include:
Irregular Ovulation: One of the main features of PCOS is irregular or absent ovulation. This means that the ovaries do not regularly release eggs, making it difficult to conceive.
Insulin Resistance: Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and is associated with obesity. Insulin resistance can exacerbate hormonal imbalances.
Obesity: Excess body weight can worsen PCOS symptoms and complicate efforts to conceive.
Hormonal Imbalances: Elevated levels of androgens and other hormones can disrupt the menstrual cycle and ovulation.
Polycystic Ovaries: The presence of multiple small cysts on the ovaries can interfere with normal ovarian function.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 8% to 13% of women are suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in their reproductive ages. “Conception is difficult because the follicular growth is defective in a woman with PCOS which causes anovulation (lack or absence of ovulation) and leads to infertility,” says Dr. Priya Yadav, Gynaecologist.
PCOS does not only affect women of childbearing ages, but it has its effect on adolescents and postmenopausal women.
Symptoms of PCOS
In some cases, women can speculate PCOS by observing their menstrual cycle. Irregular, infrequent or prolonged menstrual cycles are the most common symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome while the other symptoms are excess facial and body hair (hirsutism), severe acne and male-pattern baldness caused by elevated levels of androgen (male hormones). Some women do not have any symptoms, they get to know that they have PCOS while having trouble conceiving.
Impact of PCOS on mental health
The impact of PCOS-related infertility extends far beyond the realm of reproductive health, taking a toll on women’s emotional well-being and mental health. In some cases, having PCOS does not directly affect the patient but its symptoms do. Adolescents and young women experience bullying and trolling for hirsutism, obesity which further affects their mental health adversely, resulting in lack of confidence, nervousness and depression, anxiety in more severe cases.
Diagnosis and treatment
Dr. Priya Yadav, Gynaecologist says, “Ultrasound should be done if a woman has unusual hair growth on face, acne and irregular menstruation. Also, there are chances of ultrasound being completely normal in a PCOS patient.” Diagnosing PCOS involves a combination of clinical evaluations. Blood tests are done to check the elevated hormone levels while ultrasound to examine the ovaries.
The chances of women with PCOS getting pregnant are lesser but not zero. In recent years, In vitro fertilization (IVF) has gained prevalence as the most common treatment for women dealing with infertility around the world. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with symptomatic treatment becomes necessary to treat Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) while surgical interventions are needed in severe cases.
