Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Symptoms

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Symptoms

As the leading cause of infertility in women, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a serious hormonal disorder that affects about one in every 10 women. Although researchers are still exploring the exact causes of PCOS, they have linked the presence of this condition to insulin resistance (the body's lack of reaction to normal levels on insulin).

What is PCOS?

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), a person suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome if she exhibits two out of the three following characteristics:

Anovulation: the lack of a menstrual cycle due to stress, mental or physical illness, hormonal imbalances, malnutrition or ovarian failure
Excess Androgen: a large amount of hormones related to masculine sex organs
Polycystic Ovaries: enlarged ovaries that display the presence of small cysts around their follicles on a gynecologic ultrasound.

PCOS arises when the ovaries produce large amounts of male hormones, namely testosterone. A woman's ovaries may be stimulated to overproduce male hormones either because of excessive amounts of luteinizing hormone (LH) or insulin in the blood. Other terms for polycystic ovary syndrome are:

functional ovarian hyperandrogenism
hyperandrogenic chronic anovulation
ovarian dysmetabolic syndrome.

Common Warning Signs of PCOS

Those who suffer from PCOS generally experience a combination of the following symptoms:

Acanthosis Nigricans: While these tan to black skin blotches are common in those with PCOS, they are more closely related to insulin resistance.
Acne: Along with acne, oily, flaky, red skin is a common PCOS symptom.
Acrochordons: These skin tags are small benign tumors that tend to form in creases of the skin (i.e., in the neck, groin, elbows, etc.).
Alopecia: Commonly known as male pattern baldness, alopecia affects women with PCOS due to the higher presence of male hormones in their systems.
Amenorrhea: While amenorrhea may cause a woman to have few or no menstrual cycles, it can, at times, also cause excessively heavy cycles.
Central Obesity: Commonly known as apple-shaped obesity, those who suffer from central obesity carry a large portion of their weight in the lower torso.
Dyspareunia: Marked by pain during sex, this condition is often irreversible, even if the PCOS that causes it isn't.
Infertility: The inability to reproduce is one of the most devastating effects of PCOS.
Sleep Apnea: This sleeping disorder is marked by regular cessations (pauses) in the course of one's breathing during sleep.

Because each of the above symptoms of PCOS is dramatic and usually noticeable, any woman who exhibits one or more of them should consult a physician. While these symptoms may not mean that you have PCOS, they do indicate physical problems that demand treatment in order to keep in you optimum health.

Mild Symptoms of PCOS

Some of the less serious, more general symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome may not necessarily indicate that this condition is actually present in women, as they tend to also be associated with young women who are first starting to menstruate.

However, if your gynecologist notices these symptoms persisting for extended periods of time, she will likely perform more tests to make an official diagnosis. Some of these more general symptoms include:

enlarged ovaries from the presence of cysts (They can be up to three times larger than healthy, cyst-free ovaries.)
excess levels of insulin in the blood
higher levels of certain hormones (namely LH, lutenizing hormone, and FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone) on the third day of a woman's menstrual cycle
higher levels of testosterone in a woman's system
lower levels of SHBG, sex-hormone-binding globulin
ovarian cysts that look like pearls on an ultrasonography
ovaries that have a thicker, pearlier surface.

Because the exact causes of polycystic ovary syndrome are unknown, you may not be able to avoid suffering from this condition. However, you can take preventative measures, including eating healthy, exercising and getting regular gynecological exams, to keep yourself as healthy as possible.

Resources

Mayo Clinic (2007). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Retrieved July 5, 2007, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/DS00423/DSECTION=1.

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