Does someone really close to you struggles with the problems like irregular/painful menses? / Stubborn acne? / Obesity or maybe erratic emotional outbursts?

Don't you want to reach out and help them? Off course you do. But for that you need to have an understanding of their disorder. Scroll down and you will have most of your queries answered.

The basics of PCOD

Ovary                                            

The ovaries are an integral part of a female reproductive system. It is almond shaped and responsible for producing eggs and female hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

Cyst

Every month during a menstrual cycle, an egg grows inside a sac like structure known as a follicle. Gradually, when the egg matures, it is released from this follicle. It travels down to the uterus via the fallopian tubes. This sac dissolves and is transformed into a new structure known as corpus luteum which releases hormones and prepares the ovary for the next cycle. Unfortunately in some women, the ovary fails to release this matured ova resulting in the enlargement and accumulation of many such sacs which turns into a cluster of cysts (polycystic ovaries).

Susceptibility

Females who are reproductively active are more susceptible to the cyst formation in their bodies. Genetic predisposition is believed to be primarily responsible for it. Irregular sleeping patterns, excessive stress, obesity are the other contributing factors. Lately, insulin resistance is also believed to be a stimulating factor.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the polycystic ovarian disease could be manifested in any of the following ways:

• Irregular and painful menses
• Abnormal increase in the body weight
• Acne
• Hirsutism ( excessive hairiness, beard and chest hair)
• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Infertility

Diagnosis

Polycystic ovaries are usually detected with the help of:

• Ultrasound
• Laparoscopic examination
• Blood tests

Treatment

A female who suffers from PCOD needs to have a lot of patience. This disorder is chronic so it takes time. She should be confident of coming out of it anyway.

She needs constant support and reassurance from her physician as well as her family. The management of this disease is time consuming but, it is completely curable and fertility can be restored successfully.

• Weight management: PCOD females are usually over weight. So a balanced diet coupled with a good exercise regimen can go a long way in normalizing the disorder.
• Birth control pills: These are prescribed to alter the hormonal level in the body. Birth control pills prevent ovulation which in turn prevents the cyst formation.
• Metformin therapy: This drug is usually administered in the insulin resistant patients. It also helps in weight reduction.
• Surgery: If the cyst is painful and doesn't dissolve easily, then surgery is the last resort. Two main surgical procedures are sought after:

1) Laparoscopy: It is a kind of minimal invasive surgery where an ovarian drilling is performed with the help of general anesthesia and a very small incision. The cysts can then be removed easily.

2) Laparotomy: In cases where the cysts are cancerous, laparotomy is used. Here, the doctor might remove the ovary as well as the uterus from the body.

The reality check: One out of every five women of childbearing age has this disease. But, it should never hold you back. Celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Emma Thompson have had PCOD. But they have careers and families. With super sophisticated technologies like Laparoscopy available, infertility is a distant word. We at Adiva use this simple yet highly successful procedure for the removal of benign ovarian tissue. It involves a very short hospital stay, very less pain and speedy recovery. So a little more watchful diet, regular exercise pattern, an appropriate treatment, a happier, positive and an optimistic approach towards life can pull anyone through this battle easily.

If you have PCOD then that doesn't mean that you are barren, it simply means that you are reproductively challenged which can be managed, easily.