Why pcos occurs

What are the symptoms of PCOS? Women with PCOS may miss periods or have fewer periods fewer than eight in a year. Or, their periods may come every 21 days or more often. Some women with PCOS stop having menstrual periods. Too much hair on the face, chin, or parts of the body where men usually have hair.

This is called "hirsutism. What causes PCOS? Most experts think that several factors, including genetics, play a role: High levels of androgens. Androgens are sometimes called "male hormones," although all women make small amounts of androgens. Androgens control the development of male traits, such as male-pattern baldness.

Women with PCOS have more androgens than normal. Higher than normal androgen levels in women can prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg ovulation during each menstrual cycle, and can cause extra hair growth and acne, two signs of PCOS. High levels of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls how the food you eat is changed into energy. Insulin resistance is when the body's cells do not respond normally to insulin. As a result, your insulin blood levels become higher than normal.

Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, especially those who have overweight or obesity, have unhealthy eating habits, do not get enough physical activity, and have a family history of diabetes usually type 2 diabetes. Over time, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes. Is PCOS linked to other health problems? More than half of women with PCOS will have diabetes or prediabetes glucose intolerance before the age of High blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Learn more about heart disease and stroke. Unhealthy cholesterol. High cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. Sleep apnea.

This is when momentary and repeated stops in breathing interrupt sleep. Many women with PCOS have overweight or obesity, which can cause sleep apnea. Sleep apnea raises your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are common among women with PCOS. Endometrial cancer. Problems with ovulation, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes all common in women with PCOS increase the risk of developing cancer of the endometrium lining of the uterus or womb. Will my PCOS symptoms go away at menopause?

How is PCOS diagnosed? To help diagnose PCOS and rule out other causes of your symptoms, your doctor may talk to you about your medical history and do a physical exam and different tests: Physical exam. Your doctor will measure your blood pressure, body mass index BMI , and waist size.

They will also look at your skin for extra hair on your face, chest or back, acne, or skin discoloration. Your doctor may look for any hair loss or signs of other health conditions such as an enlarged thyroid gland. Pelvic exam. Your doctor may do a pelvic exam for signs of extra male hormones for example, an enlarged clitoris and check to see if your ovaries are enlarged or swollen.

Pelvic ultrasound sonogram. This test uses sound waves to examine your ovaries for cysts and check the endometrium lining of the uterus or womb. Blood tests. Blood tests check your androgen hormone levels, sometimes called "male hormones. Your doctor may also test your cholesterol levels and test you for diabetes.

Once other conditions are ruled out, you may be diagnosed with PCOS if you have at least two of the following symptoms: 5 Irregular periods, including periods that come too often, not often enough, or not at all Signs that you have high levels of androgens: Extra hair growth on your face, chin, and body hirsutism Acne Thinning of scalp hair Higher than normal blood levels of androgens Multiple cysts on one or both ovaries.

How is PCOS treated? Many women will need a combination of treatments, including: Steps you can take at home to help relieve your symptoms Medicines. Healthy eating habits and regular physical activity can help relieve PCOS-related symptoms. In women with PCOS, the hormones are out of balance: these women have higher-than-normal levels of androgens and may have lower-than-normal levels of estrogen. High levels of androgens can:. Other symptoms of PCOS result from problems with insulin, another of the body's hormones.

Insulin helps move sugar also called glucose from the bloodstream into cells to use as energy. When cells don't respond normally to insulin, the level of sugar in the blood rises. In addition, the level of insulin goes up as the body produces more and more of it to try to get glucose into the cells.

Too much insulin increases the production of androgens,5 which then cause symptoms of PCOS. High levels of insulin can also increase appetite and lead to weight gain. Losing weight with exercise also improves ovulation and insulin levels Exercise is even more beneficial when combined with a healthy diet.

Diet plus exercise helps you lose more weight than either intervention alone, and it lowers your risks for diabetes and heart disease There is some evidence that acupuncture can help with improving PCOS, but more research is needed PCOS treatment starts with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.

Birth control pills and other medications can help regulate the menstrual cycle and treat PCOS symptoms like hair growth and acne. These hormones come in a pill , patch , or vaginal ring. Metformin Glucophage, Fortamet is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. It also treats PCOS by improving insulin levels. One study found that taking metformin while making changes to diet and exercise improves weight loss, lowers blood sugar, and restores a normal menstrual cycle better than changes to diet and exercise alone Eflornithine Vaniqa cream is a prescription drug that slows hair growth.

Laser hair removal and electrolysis can get rid of unwanted hair on your face and body. Ovarian drilling is a procedure that makes tiny holes in the ovary with a laser or thin heated needle to restore normal ovulation.

Birth control pills and the diabetes drug metformin can help bring back a normal menstrual cycle. Clomiphene and surgery improve fertility in women with PCOS.

Hair removal medications can help women remove unwanted hair. Also, keep in mind that if you do not wish to get pregnant, irregular or absent periods are not birth control in themselves. It may still be possible to get pregnant even under these conditions. If you have PCOS, plan regular visits with your primary care doctor. See your doctor if your body has skipped periods, or you have other PCOS symptoms like hair growth on your face or body.

High levels of male hormones also lead to unwanted symptoms like hair growth on the face and body. Lifestyle interventions are the first treatments doctors recommend for PCOS, and they often work well.

Weight loss can treat PCOS symptoms and improve the odds of getting pregnant. Diet and aerobic exercise are two effective ways to lose weight. Birth control pills and metformin can both restore more normal menstrual cycles and relieve PCOS symptoms. Menstrual cycles often bring about a wide array of uncomfortable symptoms leading up to your period.

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