Like many other areas of medicine, gynecology does not stand still, actively using the latest technical means to study the mysteries of the female body. Despite this, many diseases of the beautiful half of humanity do not want to open all their secrets to the end. One of such complex and mysterious problems is PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome.
PCOS: the causes and symptoms
PCOS (another name scleropolycystosis of the ovaries) is not a disease that has pronounced symptoms and clearly defined causes, but rather it is a whole bunch of disorders in the body as a whole, from malfunctions in the sexual sphere to diabetes mellitus. Manifestations of this problem are so diverse that it is simply impossible to cover them completely, therefore physicians take into account only the main signs of PCOS when diagnosing:
- abnormalities in the work of the ovaries - irregular monthly or cycle duration of more than 40 days;
- hirsutism in women (increased content of male hormones, causing hairy males, appearance of acne, increased skin fatness);
- an increase in body weight with the deposition of fat by the male type - on the stomach;
- high blood pressure;
- infertility;
- a characteristic picture of ultrasound of the ovaries - an increase in their size, the presence of many small cysts.
It should be known that the doctor can put the diagnosis of PCOS in the last place, excluding previously all other possible causes of malfunctions in the body (endocrine, hereditary, etc.).
Unfortunately, the exact cause of PCOS is not yet known. The most common is the genetic theory, but the gene that causes the development of PCOS has not yet been detected. According to another popular theory, PCOS can develop as a result of disrupting the work of protein-enzymes involved in the synthesis of male sex hormones in the female body.
PCOS: treatment
SPCS is a problem that requires a woman, first of all, to change her habitual way of life. As is known, overweight and obesity are one of the attendant factors of PCOS. That is why proper nutrition, reasonable physical activity, active way of life becomes an indispensable condition for successful getting rid of manifestations of the syndrome of polycystic ovaries. Diet in PCOS should include a sufficient amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat fish and meat. Complex carbohydrates (sweets, pastries and other sweets) and animal fats should be excluded completely. In most cases, a 10% decrease in body weight from the baseline becomes the starting point for restoring the menstrual cycle and getting rid of skin problems.
The method of treatment of PCOS depends on the patient's age and the presence of accompanying problems:
- women who do not plan pregnancy, restore the menstrual cycle will help hormonal contraceptives;
- women who want to have a baby in the near future, the doctor will prescribe the intake of progesterone in the second phase of the menstrual cycle;
- for the stimulation of ovulation in PCOS use preparations of clostilbehyde,
meformin, gonadotropins in low doses; - to reduce the level of male hormones and slow the growth of hair shows the use of antiandrogens;
- in the event that ovulation can not be stimulated medically, minilaparoscopy and ovarian drills are carried out - boring the ovary.
A woman with this diagnosis should remember that he is not a verdict that puts a cross on her feminine essence and makes motherhood an unattainable dream. Rather, it is a sign that the lifestyle needs to make adjustments, do not run their own health and regularly visit a gynecologist-endocrinologist.