Locals learn about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome this September

September is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month.

PCOS is a serious genetic, hormone, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects women and girls.

It is the leading cause of female infertility and a precursor for other serious conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer.

The aim of PCOS Awareness Month is to empower more women with the tools they need to take control of their health.

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It will also help them to overcome their symptoms as well as prevent and reduce their risks for life-threatening related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer.

GCN spoke to doctor Bradley Wagemaker, a medical director in the pharmaceutical industry.

He said eight to 13% of women suffer from a common but under-diagnosed condition called PCOS.

As common as PCOS is, and as severe as its symptoms are known to be, PCOS typically goes undiagnosed for months and in most cases for years.

“Many women and sometimes even their healthcare providers shrug off the symptoms associated with PCOS as a natural part of being a woman. Sadly, this all too often leads to delayed diagnoses,” said Wagemaker.

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He said while strides are being made in the medical industry and through PCOS Awareness month to improve the number of women being correctly diagnosed and treated at an early stage, women need to educate themselves on the signs to look out for.

He said PCOS is an endocrine (hormonal) condition that affects both girls and women but is often only diagnosable in women of reproductive age.

“Some of its signs include heavy, irregular or even absent periods, excess facial and body hair, oily skin and acne, and small cysts on the ovaries.

“Women with PCOS may also be more susceptible to insulin resistance, weight gain, psychosocial disorders, endometrial cancer, and other serious and life-threatening conditions,” said Wagemaker.

PCOS also often leads to infertility in women; with the hormonal imbalance brought about by PCOS, the ovaries are unable to grow and release eggs, stunting the ovulation stage in a woman’s cycle.

“It’s sadly very common for women to suffer in silence, thinking that the uncomfortable, inconvenient and even traumatic symptoms of PCOS are nothing more than a normal part of being a woman, or a burden for them to deal with on their own,” said Wagemaker.

He said maintaining a healthy diet with limited sugar and carbohydrates is a good starting point, as is regular exercise.

There are also supplements available to help alleviate the symptoms of PCOS. Ovaria, for instance, is a nutritional supplement that helps regulate insulin activity in the body.

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In this process, the cells in a woman’s body are better able to use the glucose stores available, helping to regulate blood insulin levels, the ripple effect of which is normalised androgen levels and improved PCOS symptoms.

This also improves fertility for women who are trying to get pregnant.

Wagemaker encourages women to arm themselves with the right information and have more control over their own PCOS journeys and that’s half the battle won.