Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Another Invisible Cost of Being a Woman

Polycystic ovary syndrome often abbreviated as PCOS is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Despite being so common among women, people barely talk about it.

The majority of us don’t even know what it means and what a woman goes through if she is diagnosed with PCOS. PCOS not only affects the reproductive health of the woman but also mental, metabolic, and psychological health.

In many cases, women don’t even know that they are suffering from such a condition. Our mothers, grandmothers, aunts might have just been blamed for not being able to bear a child or for their excessive weight gain.

What Exactly Happens?

PCOS is not new. Italian physician Antonio Vallisneri first described its symptoms back in 1721.

PCOS is known by other names like polycystic ovarian syndrome, polycystic ovary disease, functional ovarian hyperandrogenism, ovarian hyperthecosis, sclerocystic ovary syndrome, and Stein–Eventual syndrome.

PCOS can be defined as a condition where our ovaries produce an excess amount of androgens. Androgens are the male sex hormones that are usually present in women in a small amount. This leads to the development of male characteristics in women.

In PCOS many fluid-filled sacs called cysts grow inside the ovaries. High levels of male hormones prevent the ovaries from producing eggs normally. Because of all this, women get irregular periods or no periods, they have excess hair growth on the chin, upper lip, and chest. Most women with PCOS become obese.

The Gross Symptoms

Most people start experiencing symptoms at the onset of puberty.

Irregular periods are the most common symptom among women suffering from PCOS. Due to lack of ovulation and excess production of Androgen, the body might not shed the uterine lining every month.

Some women get less than 8 periods in a year, and some don’t get them at all. And when they finally get their period there is excess bleeding because the uterine lining becomes thicker over time.

Excess hair growth is also a very usual symptom among women. Women face excess hair growth in their chest, upper back, stomach area. Obesity is a common symptom. The majority of girls that suffer from PCOS are obese. A very rare number of women can maintain normal body weight.

PCOS can also lead to hair thinning and hair fall which is again something that women are deeply concerned about.

And the worst of all it can lead to infertility, that is you might have problems getting pregnant. PCOS can lead to increased pregnancy risks and miscarriages.

Other Associated Complications

If PCOS is left unchecked, women might develop other serious health issues. Women who suffer from PCOS are likely to develop several serious health diseases. These might include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and uterine cancer.

PCOS is related to high cortisol levels that can lead to depression and stress. Also, high cortisol levels can increase the risk of insulin resistance which can, in turn, cause depression. Being insulin resistant can also elevate blood sugar levels.

Diet and Medication

PCOS cannot be treated but medication can control the symptoms and can help prevent serious health problems. These medicines are costly and come with side effects.

Certain medications can help the ovaries to release eggs normally. These medications might have certain risks. These drugs can cause ovarian hyperstimulation. This is a condition in which the ovaries release too many hormones, which can lead to pelvic pain and abdominal bloating.

Women with PCOS also have to follow strict diets as weight gain can make PCOS worse. They also have to combine physical exercises with it. This can surely improve one's condition but fancy diet food, diet plans, gym expenses are something which everyone cannot afford.

And guess what, PCOS is not covered under any health insurance. So it's not just the mental and physical strain, it is also the financial strain that follows.

Lack of Awareness

In many cases, there could have been early diagnoses but due to lack of awareness and knowledge about PCOS women are unable to make out that they are suffering from such a disorder.

They only come to know about their condition when they have difficulty getting pregnant or miss periods and that is many times too late.

The lack of awareness and knowledge can lead to severe and life-altering consequences. Things can get out of control once you skip the early stage of diagnosis.

The only way we can spread awareness is by talking about it freely. Nowadays women talk about periods and period-related problems openly but they fail to talk about PCOS.

And this is not the responsibility of women alone, men should too make efforts towards creating a PCOS-friendly environment.

The Struggle Is Real

Women with PCOS do not lead normal life. Facing all those devastating symptoms can drain the women from inside out. Hearing comments about your overweight can be emotionally draining.

Spending time and money on beauty treatments, getting rid of those unwanted excess body hair is a task in itself. Always think about the acne on your face while others might enjoy clear skin.

Eating all those fancy diet foods. Juggling between carrots and broccoli. Giving up cravings for your favorite food especially when women are young can be so annoying.

Women are burdened with the sole responsibility of taking the family forward. Because of their inability to get pregnant, they could face a lot of humiliation from family and society.

Respond to hair loss problems. Consuming a whole lot of medicines. Visiting doctors and dieticians frequently and still not being able to lose weight. PCOS women suffer every day. They won't talk about it but they can feel that pain in their hearts.

Let’s Talk Freely

It's high time that we pull up our socks and start raising awareness about PCOS. Let us talk about it freely. Know the signs and symptoms. Educate the young girls about it.

Let the women know that they are not alone. Let's just not blame them for their condition. Let's not make their weight or body hair a big issue. This can happen to you and anyone. 

Our goal should not be just to talk about it but to also listen. Imagine how miserable it would feel if you suffer every day but there is no one with whom you could talk about it freely. Listen to your friends, sisters, acquaintances and encourage them to talk about it boldly.

We are in the 21st century, my friends. If we don’t talk about it now it will be too late. Not just PCOS, let's talk about every issue concerning women. So let's normalize and face this with pride. When a few women would talk, many other women would get inspired. 

Written by - Arushi Oberoi

Edited by - Piyush Pandey