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About PCOD/PCOS
PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Disease is a hormonal condition that affects 5%–10% of women. This is very common during their reproductive age. 9% – 22% of women suffer from the problem of PCOD in India. In our body, various hormones work in harmony to ensure the smooth functioning of all the systems.
In the condition of PCOD, the hormones of a woman go out of sync. This leads to various problems like irregular menses, infertility, weight gain, acne, and so on. If left untreated, this disorder can cause serious health problems in women like heart disease and diabetes.
What is PCOD/PCOS?
PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease, which is caused due to hormonal imbalance. Ovulation is a phase in the menstrual cycle which is the release of the egg from a woman’s ovary.
Ovaries also produce a small number of androgens, which are the male reproductive hormone. In PCOD, the hormonal imbalance leads to excessive secretion of the male hormone. This causes a delay in periods and the formation of cysts in the ovaries.
This disorder can also lead to a complete absence of ovulation, which may cause infertility in women.
How does it form?
Typically, a woman’s ovaries are the storehouse of all the female hormones, as well as the reservoir of all her eggs. In a normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries release around 6-12 small cyst-like structures, called follicles. Though each of these has an egg, only one of them gets matured, luteinizes, and funnels towards the uterus to help conception while the others dissolve naturally over some period of time.
However, the problem begins when the woman’s hormones get imbalanced. Here, the pituitary gland (the gland responsible for the release of hormones)starts releasing more male hormones (androgens) instead of female hormones(oestrogen). This causes an excess of luteinising hormones which disturb regular ovulation. As a result, multiple eggs start maturing in the follicles while none break opens to release. This forms multiple tiny cysts on the ovarian surface leading to a list of problems including – irregular cycles, constant fatigue, terrible mood swings, weight gain, nausea, and very often- difficulty in the natural conception.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is the severed version of Polycystic Ovarian Disorder, and hence, precisely the reason why it is called a -Syndrome. PCOS in the simplest sense is the metabolic syndrome or an endocrine disorder that happens when the PCOD has spread to the whole body. Here, the cysts are multiple and hormones severely imbalanced. In PCOS, a woman’s ovaries produce way more male (androgen) hormones than a female’s (estrogen). This severely hampers ovulation and affects fertility adversely. It also causes extreme and frequent mood swings, anger and male pattern hair growth and baldness. However, unlike PCOD, PCOS is rare and irreversible.
Causes
Symptoms
The exact cause of PCOD is still unknown. It is a hormonal disorder and various reasons contribute to it. Some of the factors associated with PCOD are:
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Heredity
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Obesity
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High levels of inflammation
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High production of male hormones
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Unhealthy lifestyle
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Poor diet
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Lack of proper nutrition
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Pollution
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Excess Insulin
Many women do not even realize that they are suffering from PCOD. It is very important to pay attention to these symptoms for an early diagnosis of the problem.
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Irregular Periods
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Excessive Facial and Body Hair
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Mood Swings
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Acne
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Sudden Weight Gain
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Oily Skin
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Heavy Bleeding
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Hair Thinning
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Diabetes
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Skin Darkening
DIAGNOSIS
Some of the tests your doctor may prescribe you are:
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Imaging Tests such as Ultrasound to get a clear visual of the enlarged ovaries and the multiple cysts on its walls
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Blood tests to check hormone levels, fasting cholesterol, glucose tolerance and triglyceride levels.
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Clinical Tests such as olechomo, aneroia
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Chemical Markers such as LH, FSH, Prolactin levels.
Essential Nutrition Required in PCOD
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Nutrition and diet play a major role in curing any disorder. Include the following nutrients in your daily diet to get rid of PCOD naturally.
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Vitamin B6 – It helps to maintain the hormone balance and is the key to control PCOD. Found in almonds, wild rice, milk, yogurt, eggs, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and soybeans.
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Vitamins B2, B3, B5, and B6 – Are particularly useful for controlling weight. Found in yeast, red meat, milk, eggs, beans, and green vegetables.
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Vitamin B5 – It helps to control fat metabolism and is helpful in weight loss. Found in avocados, yogurt, eggs, meat, and legumes.
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Vitamin B6 with B2 and B3 – Are necessary for normal thyroid hormone production. Found in chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, Lentils, sunflower seeds, cheese, brown rice, and carrots.
PCOD and Pregnancy
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If your PCOD is under control, you can easily get pregnant. Women with PCOS and PCOD conceive naturally until the problem is too severe. However, while planning your pregnancy, do keep in mind that people with PCOD have limited ovarian capacity. The number of healthy eggs is considerably lower than other women who do not have PCOD.
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Therefore, if you have PCOD, it is advisable to plan an early pregnancy. Advancing age affects the quality of the eggs and may lead to more complications in your case. Consult your gynecologist and plan accordingly.
How to prevent it?
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Certain changes in lifestyle and diet can help manage it. Below are some ways to manage the condition of PCOD:
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Eat a healthy diet
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Avoid sugar and carbohydrates
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Eat more high fibre foods
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Eat lean protein-rich food
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Exercise regularly
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Be physically active
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Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
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Avoid junk food and saturated fats
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Avoid estrogen boosting foods
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Sleep for at least 8 hours
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Practice yoga
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Keep yourself busy
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Manage stress better
PCOD/PCOS SPECIALISTS DOCTORS
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Non-Surgergical Interventions
Non-surgical options largely include
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Dietary modifications: The first suggestion in PCOD and PCOS is always dietary modifications. Stop junk food. Stop packaged food items. Stop excessive intake of carbohydrates and white bread. Eat healthily, eat fresh, eat local. Especially, eat a lot of fresh green vegetables and home cooked food.
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Exercises and weight loss: Continuously work towards your health and get your BMI in control. Stay active and lose weight. Keeping your weight in check can drastically normalize your health and mood. Some of the yoga asana you could practice are:
Sitting badrasan, sleeping badrasan, bhujangasana, sarpasana, anulom vilom and kapalbhati. Some asanas that can help you relax during periods are: vishpanda bhav, anitya bhavana and shavasana. -
Medicines: Medicinal treatment differs in different cases. It primarily depends on if/ if not you want kids. Women seeking childbirth may be prescribed: Antiandrogens and fertility drugs.
Whereas, women not desiring childbirth may be prescribed :
Hormone Birth control pills/ SOS medicine (meprate 10 mg) and at times, – antiandrogens.
Surgical Treatment
Surgically, we have the option for ‘laparoscopic ovarian drilling’. Here, your doctor uses a laser to puncture the places where your ovary is producing male hormones. However, because of its probable risk of permanent damage to the ovaries, it is suggested only to women who have tried everything else but none worked.
It is a small operation performed under general anaesthesia. As the body slowly goes numb and you lose consciousness, your surgeon makes a tiny incision (keyhole sized) around your ovaries to insert a laparoscope. A laparoscope is basically a tiny hollow tube with a camera and light on its end. With this lens to understand the exact areas where the ovary is producing androgens, your surgeon uses electrocautery or a laser to puncture and destroy those specific parts and restore ovulation. Once the problem areas are lasered, the site is stitched back with dissolvable sutures and the surgery is completed.