In inflammatory PCOS, chronic inflammation causes the ovaries to make excess testosterone, resulting in physical symptoms and issues with ovulation. Signs of inflammation in this type of PCOS include headaches, joint pain, unexplained fatigue, skin issues like eczema and bowel issues like IBS.
Women with PCOS have at least two of these signs: Elevated levels of testosterone and other androgen hormones associated with male reproduction, Irregular periods, and. Large ovaries with many small follicles.
3. Inflammatory PCOS. In PCOS due to inflammation, ovulation is prevented, hormones get imbalanced and androgens are produced. Inflammation is caused due to stress, toxins of the environment, and inflammatory dietary like gluten.
Phenotype C is also known as ovulatory PCOS and has both hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries, but ovulation occurs, resulting in reduced fertility issues compared to the other type.
Both PCOS and CAH present with high androgens but differ in that the former usually presents with high cortisol/insulin resistance, and the latter with low cortisol and aldosterone.
PCOS can affect a person's fertility in different ways. Ovulation problems are usually the primary cause of infertility in women with PCOS. Ovulation may not occur due to an increase in testosterone production or because follicles on the ovaries do not mature.
The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine Rotterdam consensus (ESHRE/ASRM) developed and enlarged the diagnosis of PCOS, requiring two of three features: anovulation or oligo-ovulation, clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian ...
The pituitary gland in the brain produces both LH and FSH and sends them to the ovaries. Normally, there is a large burst of LH, a so-called LH surge, that happens in the middle of the menstrual cycle and signals the ovaries to ovulate. Women with PCOS usually have low to normal levels of FSH, but high levels of LH.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is thought to be the most common endocrine disorder found in women. Common symptoms include irregular menstrual cycle, polycystic ovaries, and hirsutism, as well as an increased risk for a multitude of conditions, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and infertility.
Insulin resistant PCOS
This is the most common type of PCOS, affecting around 70% of people. Insulin resistance is basically where there are higher levels of insulin than normal in the body - also known as hyperinsulinemia.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
The adrenal glands also produce the male sex hormones DHEA and testosterone. People with CAH lack one of the enzymes necessary to regulate the production of these hormones, so they secrete too little cortisol and too much testosterone.
There are biological causes for increased testosterone in women. One such cause may be polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition in which the ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than normal.
They determined that an ovarian volume greater than 10 mL provided excellent specificity for PCOS in a majority of studies, and used 12 or more follicles of 2 to 9 millimeters as the follicle number with the best sensitivity and specificity to distinguish polycystic ovary syndrome (4).
Best age to get pregnant with PCOS
The best time for women with PCOS to get pregnant is before they turn 30. It's possible to conceive up to the age of 37, but fertility declines after the age of 32 with steeper decline occurring after age 37.
First-line treatment for ovulation induction when fertility is desired is clomiphene citrate. Second-line strategies may be equally effective in infertile women with clomiphene citrate–resistant PCOS.
Once you come off birth control you might find that your periods return to an irregular pattern, and some of the other symptoms of PCOS return. There is no change in fertility when taking the pill however, after coming off you might find it difficult to get pregnant, as this is a symptom of PCOS.
Symptoms of adrenal PCOS
Weight gain. Hair loss/growth. Acne. Irregular or missed menstrual cycle.
The four types of PCOS are insulin-resistant PCOS, post-pill PCOS, inflammatory PCOS, and adrenal PCOS. Insulin resistant PCOS is the most common type of PCOS. There is much we can do to reverse insulin resistance including balancing blood sugar.
With PCOS, it's thought that increased levels of insulin in the body causes the ovaries to work differently, which produces high levels of androgens (male-type hormones). These hormones cause various symptoms, such as irregular periods and hair and skin conditions.