PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a hormonal disorder affecting almost one in five women worldwide. It causes hormonal imbalances in the body that make it difficult for women to get pregnant.
Though PCOS majorly affects the female reproductive system, it doesn’t necessarily make them infertile. Many surgical and non-surgical treatments have been introduced to treat PCOS.
There are several ways that you can be affected by PCOS. In this article, let’s look at the four types of PCOS and their symptoms.
What Type of PCOS do I have?
There are four types of PCOS a woman might have, namely
- insulin-resistant PCOS,
- Post-pill or pill-induced PCOS,
- adrenal PCOS, and
- inflammatory PCOS.
Insulin-resistant PCOS
This is the most common type of PCOS. It occurs when your body produces high amounts of insulin in the body. This insulin prevents ovulation by triggering the production of testosterone.
Any factor that can increase insulin secretion can cause this type of PCOS. The causes of insulin-resistant PCOS are
- unhealthy habits like smoking, high sugar intake, trans-fat, and pollution,
- you are a border-line diabetic with very low glucose tolerance and
- you are overweight with high levels of insulin.
This type of PCOS is mainly caused due to your unhealthy health habits. So, controlling your diet and following a healthy lifestyle is an effective way to treat the issue.
You may want to cut down on the amount of sugar you consume. Sugar is one of the main factors that increase insulin levels in the body. Decreasing the sugar content in your food and drinks can help take the first step towards treating this issue.
Post-pill or pill-induced PCOS
This type of PCOS occurs due to the birth control pills that suppress ovulation. Not all women who take birth control pills are affected by this. Most times, women resume their menstrual cycle once the effects of the pills go away.
Some women, however, may not get their period for months or even years after stopping taking the pills. This issue will be more prominent when they have had regular menstrual cycles before taking the pills.
These women should visit their fertility doctor and get checked for post-pill or pill-induced PCOS.
Adrenal PCOS
This is one of the lesser-known types of PCOS found only in about 10% of the women diagnosed with PCOS. Here, DHEA-S (a type of androgen hormone produced by the adrenal glands) is the only elevated androgen. This indicates that testosterone and androstenedione levels are normal in women with adrenal PCOS.
In this instance, insulin resistance and inflammation are not the root causes of PCOS. Instead, an increase in adrenal androgens may be brought on by inherited traits or the body’s abnormal reaction to environmental factors like stress.
Inflammatory PCOS
Inflammations are the body’s natural response to fight against injuries or viruses, protecting the body while healing. However, chronic (prolonged) inflammations can cause serious issues.
Chronic inflammations can cause the ovaries to produce higher amounts of testosterone, hindering ovulation. It also interferes with the successful implantation of the embryos in the uterine lining.
Common Signs and Symptoms of PCOS
The various symptoms of PCOS that are listed below are caused due to the hormonal changes that occur in the body. This is particularly because of the hormone testosterone.
When this hormone is higher than normal in a woman’s body, it indicates PCOS and causes the following symptoms.
- Irregular time frames. This can include periods that are missed, irregular, or nonexistent
- Excessive hair. When you have more hair than is typical on your face, chin, legs, or other parts of your body, this condition is known as hirsutism.
- Acne. Acne is frequently present on the face, chest, and upper back in patients with PCOS.
- Hair thinning. Balding or thinning of the scalp's hair.
- Gaining weight. Those with PCOS frequently struggle to lose weight.
- Cysts on the ovaries. Cysts are tiny sacs filled with fluid that can develop in one or both ovaries.
- Difficulty getting pregnant. Women with PCOS often find it difficult to get pregnant.
Increase in androgen levels in the body
The bodies of both men and women produce the hormones estrogen and androgen. The female body generates more estrogen and less androgen, and vice versa. When the female body generates more levels of androgen than estrogen, PCOS develops.
This prevents the body from carrying out female reproductive functions like menstruation, resulting in infertility.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance also causes PCOS. The body cells can use sugar (glucose) as their primary energy source thanks to the insulin secreted by the pancreas. The body’s sugar level will rise if the body develops resistance to this procedure.
The body will start producing more insulin to reduce the blood sugar levels. This much insulin in the body will cause excess androgen production, affecting ovulation and causing PCOS.
Conclusion
PCOS can be difficult to handle on your own. If you are unsure whether you have PCOS, consult your gynecologist and take the necessary tests to be sure of it. Listen to what your doctor tells you and take the necessary steps to overcome PCOS and get pregnant naturally.
FAQs
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. The main side effect of PCOS is anovulatory infertility (inability to ovulate); around 70% and 80% of women with this condition also have PCOS.
Due to poor lifestyle choices, obesity, stress, and hormonal imbalance, PCOD causes the ovaries to generate excessively immature or partially developed eggs. A more severe case of PCOS, which is a metabolic disease, can cause anovulation, in which the ovaries stop producing eggs.
Some of the biggest signs that you may have PCOS are when you
- Have irregular periods or no periods at all,
- Have difficulty getting pregnant,
- Gain a lot of weight in a short period,
- Excessive hair growth in the body (hirsutism),
- Balding or thinning hair in the head and
- Acne or oily skin.
