Women of every race and ethnicity can have PCOS. It's common for women to find out they have PCOS when they have trouble getting pregnant, but it often begins soon after the first menstrual period, as young as age 11 or 12. It can also develop in the 20s or 30s.
To diagnose PCOS, an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders, conducts a physical exam. He or she checks you for increased body and facial hair, thinning scalp hair, acne, and other symptoms of increased androgen levels.
The global prevalence of PCOS is estimated between 4% and 20% [3]. The World Health Organization (WHO) data suggests that approximately 116 million women (3.4%) are affected by PCOS globally [4].
PCOS is neither a fatal nor inherently dangerous disease and the vast majority of women with the condition do just fine. That said, there are challenges in living with a woman who has PCOS. PCOS can cause annoying symptoms and management can be tedious.
The good news is, while PCOS is with you for life, it is manageable. Under the care of your doctor, you can overcome the infertility which accompanies PCOS, and you can lower your health risks as well.
If you are a woman diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you will most likely want to tell your long term partner about your condition — and discuss the potential complications that could affect your life together.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder, affecting around 1 in 10 women of reproductive age1.
Excess insulin causes polycystic ovaries because it impairs ovulation and stimulates the ovaries to make testosterone instead of estrogen. We have an epidemic of insulin resistance, so it makes sense that we also have an epidemic of PCOS.
Recent studies have shown that women who were diagnosed as having PCOS 30 years ago have a completely normal life expectancy. An inspection of more than 700 death certificates from women with PCOS has shown that there is no excess risk of cancer in any organ or of heart disease.
As previously stated, the shape of a PCOS belly differs from other types of weight gain. It often appears large and bloated but can also be small and round, depending on genetics and other factors. The PCOS belly involves the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen and typically feels firm to the touch.
Myth #3: PCOS is a Rare Condition
It is estimated that between five to 10 percent of U.S. women of childbearing age have PCOS. That's about 5 million women, which makes the condition one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age.
We suggest the possibility that polycystic ovaries were so rare before the 1900s as to be only first described adequately in the early 1900s, in which case PCOS is a syndrome that arose largely in the 20th Century.
Many women with PCOS find that their menstrual cycles become more regular as they get closer to menopause. However, their PCOS hormonal imbalance does not change with age, so they may continue to have symptoms of PCOS.
PCOS can be triggered by a sedentary lifestyle and lack of nutritional food. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) is common among members of the younger generation, with almost 10 million people affected globally.
“There is no cure so far – all the treatment options available treat the symptoms and not the disease itself,” says Paolo Giacobini at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research. He and others are now trying to develop PCOS-specific drugs.
You are born with PCOS, but symptoms often start during puberty although for some people this can be later, up to their early twenties. There are lots of different symptoms that can be caused by PCOS.
PCOS can cause missed or irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, infertility, and weight gain. Women with PCOS may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and endometrial cancer.
Exercise is very important for someone who has PCOS. Exercise can help with weight loss (especially by reducing the dangerous fat around the abdomen) and reduce the risk of heart disease. Even without weight loss, exercise can improve insulin resistance.
Experts estimate that 5 to 10 percent of women ages 18 to 44 have PCOS. The syndrome is usually detected in women between ages 20 and 30, but the earliest signs can be evident in younger girls including those who have not yet started menstruation.
Women with PCOS often have too high androgen levels. Researchers believe that this can throw a woman's hormones out of whack and cause low libido and low sexual satisfaction.
If polycystic ovary syndrome is left untreated, the syndrome may lead to serious, life-threatening illnesses such as cardiovascular and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and uterine and endometrial cancers. Therefore, PCOS treatment is critical and one cannot afford to ignore!
It has also been found that PCOS women experience less sexual attractiveness and sexual desire (51). Other factors such as high BMI, and hirsutism can affect one`s perception of sexual attractiveness (7).