Polycystic ovary syndrome, which is often referred to as PCOS, is a relatively common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work. It has three main symptoms and the direct cause of PCOS is unknown.
The condition may manifest differently in each person but it can have a huge impact on how a person lives their life. Despite there being no known cause, a current TikTok trend is linking coming off the contraceptive pill to PCOS, with some on social media describing it as "post-pill PCOS".
It is important to note that PCOS is not described as a side effect of the contraceptive pill on the NHS website, nor is it listed as a cause of PCOS. In fact, it is one of the ways doctors may treat PCOS, especially in women who have irregular periods.
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According to Bupa, some women may only notice their symptoms once they have stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill as the pill has controlled the symptoms up until that point. This does not indicate it is a cause of the condition.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is thought to affect about one in every 10 women in the UK, more than half of these women do not have symptoms. According to the NHS, there are three main features of PCOS. These are:
- irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
- excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
- polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)
You may only need to have two of these features to be diagnosed with PCOS. Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles that are up to 8mm in size. The follicles are undeveloped sacs in which eggs develop. In PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place.
There is no known cause but the condition does often run in families. It is related to abnormal hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin, which controls sugar levels in the body. Some women with the condition are resistant to the action of insulin in their body, and as a result produce higher levels of insulin. This then contributes to an increase in production of hormones like testosterone.
What are the signs and symptoms of PCOS?
Symptoms of PCOS usually become apparent during your late teens or early 20s. The symptoms can include:
- irregular periods or no periods at all
- difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation
- excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
- weight gain
- thinning hair and hair loss from the head
- oily skin or acne
PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of developing health problems later in life, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.
Treatment for PCOS
There is no cure for PCOS but symptoms can be controlled and treated through a number of ways. If you have the condition and are overweight, one recommendation that will be made to you is to lose weight by eating a healthy and balanced diet, this can ease symptoms.
Some medicines are available to treat symptoms such as excessive hair growth, irregular periods and fertility problems. There is also further help to treat fertility problems, such as a laparoscopic ovarian drilling surgical procedure, which uses heat or a laser to destroy the tissue in the ovaries that's producing testosterone.
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