What Is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS, is a condition that occurs due to hormonal imbalance. It is known to affect women during their childbearing years, which is 15-44. The first symptom of PCOS was discovered in 1721. Studies show that between 2.2 to 26.7% of women between this age group have the condition.
Some women may have PCOS and not know they have it. A study showed that about 70% of women with PCOS had not been diagnosed with the condition. PCOS affects a woman’s ovaries, the reproductive organ that synthesizes progesterone and estrogen, the hormones responsible for regulating menstrual cycle. The ovaries are also known to produce small amounts male hormones, known as androgen.
The ovaries release eggs which are fertilized by a man’s sperm. The process of releasing an egg every month is known as ovulation. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are produced in the pituitary gland, and help with regulating ovulation.
Follicle-stimulating hormone helps the ovary produce follicle, a sac containing an egg, and then luteinizing hormone causes the ovary to release a mature egg.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is usually accompanied by a group of symptoms that affect the ovaries and ovulation. Its three main features are:
- Cysts in the ovaries
- Elevated levels of male hormones
- Irregular or skipped periods
Polycystic ovary syndrome presents with many small, fluid-filled sacs growing inside the ovaries. From the word “Polycystic,” which means many cysts. These sacs are actually follicles, with each one containing an immature egg. The eggs never get mature enough to cause ovulation.
In the absence of ovulation, estrogen, FSH, progesterone, LH, and estrogen [1] levels are altered. Progesterone levels reduce, while androgen levels become higher than normal. Higher than normal male hormones alter the menstrual cycle, so women with PCOS get fewer periods than normal.