Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal problem that occurs in women. Due to today’s modern lifestyle, women neither eat nor sleep on time nor are able to take care of their own health. For this reason, this problem is increasing and more than lakhs of women are affected by the problem of PCOD.

What is PCOD? 

The problem of PCOD i.e. Polycystic Ovary Disorder (PCOD in Hindi) is usually due to hormonal imbalance in women. In this, the level of male hormone androgen increases in the female body and cysts start to form on the ovaries.

In general, both “male” and “female” hormones are needed in humans for all body processes to function properly, but a woman with PCOD may have too many male hormones, higher than normal. Due to which problems arise in the ovaries as well as there may be problems of irregular periods as well.

Symptoms of PCOD

Growth of hair in unwanted places – Due to excessive production of male hormone androgen in women, there can be a lot of changes in the body such as increased hair growth on many parts of the face and body. Hirsutism is the growth of more hair than normal on the body and face. This can include unwanted hair growth on the face or chin, breasts, abdomen, or places like the thumbs and toes.

• Hair loss – Due to the increase in the amount of androgen hormones in the body, the hair of the head can become thin and due to which hair loss can increase.
• Weight gain – Women struggle with the problem of gaining weight due to PCOD or they find it difficult to lose weight.
• Acne or oily skin – Hormone changes can cause pimples and oily skin.
• Difficulty sleeping – Trouble falling asleep and feeling tired all the time. Along with this, the problem of headache can also occur due to hormonal changes.
• Difficulty getting pregnant – PCOD is one of the major causes of infertility.
• Period problems – Periods can be irregular or periods stop coming for several months. Or there may be very heavy bleeding during periods.
• The symptoms of PCOD can be different for every woman. If any of these symptoms are seen, then immediately change your routine, as well as consult a doctor.

How is PCOD diagnosed?

No single test can determine the presence of PCOD. The doctor may ask you about your symptoms and this problem can be diagnosed with the help of physical examination and blood tests to check hormones, cholesterol and glucose. In addition to these, ultrasound can be used to view the uterus and ovaries.

Physical examination

In this, the doctor can check your blood pressure, BMI (body mass index), and waist size. Also he can look at your skin for hair growth, acne in unwanted places.

Pelvic exam

In this, the doctor does a normal checkup. The doctor will check for anything abnormal in areas such as the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.

Pelvic ultrasound (sonogram)

Your doctor may do an ultrasound to check for cysts in your ovaries and the lining of the uterus. If you are not getting your period, then the lining of your uterus may be thicker than normal. In PCOD, the ovaries can be 1½ to 3 times larger than normal.

PCOD Treatment

There is no specific treatment for polycystic ovary disorder. PCOD is treated with the aim of reducing and eliminating its symptoms and preventing further complications. Treatment depends on the individual woman’s symptoms.

Some PCOD remedies that can help reduce and eliminate the symptoms, such as-

• Good health habits
• You eat well
• Many women with pcod are troubled by being overweight or obese. Some symptoms may be relieved by losing just 5% to 10% of body weight. It also helps to make your periods more regular. It also helps in curing ovulation problems.
• However, pcod can lead to diabetes, so your doctor may ask you to limit starchy or sugary foods. Instead, eat foods rich in fiber.
• Exercise daily as exercise also helps in controlling insulin and will also help in losing weight.
• Medicines
• Hormones can be balanced by taking medicines prescribed by the doctor, which can get relief from the problem of pcod.

PCOD Diet

The most important things for a woman to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of PCOD PCOD Diet

The most important thing for a woman to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of PCOD is to take care of her diet.

Eat food at the right time. Also, nutritious elements should be consumed in the diet. Do not consume junk food, sweets, oily substances, cold drinks etc. If you cannot stop, then gradually reduce their intake.

If you have PCOD, you can make these changes in your diet –

• Eat low-carbohydrate foods and avoid high-carbohydrate foods such as sugar, sweets, snacks and breads.
• Take a balanced diet, try to take more amount of protein in the diet such as eat cheese, eggs, meat or fish
• Eat whole grains such as brown rice, ragi or oats
• Eat fiber-rich foods such as fruits, sprouts and salads
• Consume cinnamon as it is capable of preventing the increase in insulin level in the body.
• Avoid foods that are high in glycemic content, such as potatoes, white bread, etc.
• Due to the consumption of liquorice, the male hormone present in the female body starts decreasing, which gives relief in the problem of PCOD.
• Stop smoking and drinking

PCOD and Fertility

One of the most common causes of PCOD is a woman having trouble getting pregnant.

Due to the hormonal changes that occur in PCOD, problems can arise in the female reproductive system. Along with this, the ovaries become larger than normal and cysts also start forming. Ovulation problems can also occur due to PCOD. The increased levels of androgens make it difficult for the eggs to develop and the eggs to come out of the ovaries regularly. Which can affect a woman’s fertility.

PCOD and pregnancy

If you have PCOD and want to get pregnant, you should see a fertility doctor.

A fertility specialist will advise you on the right medicines. Also regularly check you with the help of ultrasound.

In the problem of PCOD, pregnancy can be done with the help of IVF. Before IVF treatment, hormonal imbalance is controlled with the help of medicines. After that the process of IVF is done. In the process of IVF, the egg is fertilized in the lab with sperm and the embryo formed after the process of fertilization is transferred to the woman’s uterus.