Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition in women of reproductive age. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is found that up to 15% of the women of reproductive age have PCOS.1 Polycystic ovaries can occur at any age after a woman hits her puberty. For some women the signs and symptoms of PCOS occur during their early periods only. Whereas, some women start experiencing the signs and symptoms in their 20s or 30s or even later in their reproductive age.
The actual cause of PCOS is still poorly understood. That’s the reason it is referred to as “a syndrome” and not a disease. A health issue is called a disease when its cause is known. But a health issue with a set of symptoms whose direct cause is unknown is called a syndrome.
Some common causes of PCOS include poor lifestyle practices with respect to diet and exercise, stress and hormonal imbalance. Another reason could be genetics. If someone in your family like your mother, sister, etc has/had PCOS, then some latest research has shown that you are likely to get it too.2
Hormones play a significant role in regulating the menstrual cycle. A set of hormones called androgens, which typically occur in high quantities in men and significantly smaller quantities in women, is generally found at a slightly higher rate than usual in women, among those with PCOS. Increased levels of androgens also obstructs the development and release of eggs from the ovaries which eventually results in missed or skipped periods. In fact, in many women with PCOS, ultrasound scans of the ovaries can reveal the presence of fluid filled sacs inside them, which are nothing but immature eggs which didn’t fully develop into mature eggs that are large enough to be released, as a result of these hormonal differences. Excess body fat percentage has a direct relationship with the production of androgens and as a result, weight gain and fat deposits can also trigger PCOS. Additionally insulin resistance, which is associated with later development of diabetes, is also another reason that can trigger PCOS.3 There is a high risk for some women to develop PCOS anytime in their reproductive age if their mother, sister or someone ever had it. Basically, if a woman has a family history of PCOS, she’s more likely to get it too.
