‘Be your own advocate’ this PCOS Awareness Month

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s one of the most common hormonal conditions affecting women in the U.S., affecting some 10% of women and girls of reproductive age.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a genetic, hormone and metabolic disorder. According to the National PCOS Association, PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in females, as well as a precursor for other serious conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer.

“At its core, PCOS is a hormonal disorder or hormonal imbalance,” Vanderbilt University Medical Center OB/GYN Dr. Michelle Roach told News 2.

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According to Roach, PCOS affects at least 10% of women of reproductive age, making it one of the most common conditions in gynecology.

Signs and symptoms of PCOS include irregular or absent menstrual periods, symptomatic or laboratory evidence of excess male hormones, and the appearance of the ovaries on an ultrasound, according to Roach. These three indicators are what’s known as the Rotterdam criteria . If two of those criteria are met, OB/GYNs can make a diagnosis of PCOS for their patients.

“The ovaries have what we refer to as a ‘PCOS appearance,'” Roach said, meaning they have a lot of follicles of egg sacs all over them that can be seen in an ultrasound.

Despite its prevalence among women of reproductive age, the precise cause of PCOS is still not widely known. Evidence suggests there is a genetic component to the disorder.

“PCOS does have a tendency to run in families, although not always,” Roach said.

There may also be an environmental component to the syndrome, as PCOS can also be common in women who struggle with their weight, according to Roach. Weight alone, however is not part of the diagnostic criteria; it can merely be a sign of the disorder.

According to Roach, most cases stem from conversations between a woman and her OB/GYN, though other physicians may also hear of symptoms in clinical settings. Patients commonly present irregular periods, heavy or abnormal bleeding, she said.

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“That’s one of the most common ways women with PCOS will present,” Roach added.

If a woman receives a PCOS diagnosis, there are multiple treatment methods and symptom management plans she and her doctor will discuss, according to Roach.

“There’s a few different things that we talk with patients about when it comes to PCOS and management of PCOS. I will say that there is no cure—it’s more about managing your symptoms,” she said. “Treatment is tailored to what the patient’s goals are and what’s bothering them most.”

If a patient is most concerned with abnormal or heavy menstrual bleeding, Roach said physicians will consider hormonal birth control, which may help control those symptoms.

PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility in women, Roach said, due to the fact that they are not ovulating on a regular schedule. If that is what the patient wishes to address, their doctor will likely recommend starting fertility treatments that will help them ovulate in a “more predictable pattern.”

Because PCOS can also give women other hormonal trouble such as acne or facial or chest hair, there are acne or hair growth treatments that may help give patients relief that way.

The imbalance of hormones can also lead to hyperinsulinemia, which is an excess production of insulin above what is considered healthy.

“Women with PCOS have a tendency to be in a prediabetic or sometimes even diabetic state,” Roach said.

If that is the case, Roach said patients will also be counseled on “healthy lifestyle” choices, such as regular exercise and dietary changes, nutrition counseling and weight loss.

“The evidence suggests that if somebody with PCOS loses a little bit of weight—doesn’t have to be a lot of weight—that may help improve the PCOS symptoms and therefore their quality of life,” she said.

Despite being so prevalent among women, there is some evidence that suggests upwards of 50% of women who have PCOS go undiagnosed.

“Women who have PCOS may not have fully understood, based off their previous encounters in the healthcare system, they may not understand that their irregular periods are necessarily abnormal or something that needs to be medically addressed,” she said.

Having so many women that may go without a diagnosis is “a little bit alarming” to Roach, because it is so common a disorder and due to the risk factors associated with PCOS in the long term.

“Women with PCOS are more likely to have diabetes. They’re more likely to have cholesterol problems,” she said. “They may have an increased risk of things like sleep apnea. We know women with PCOS are at an increased lifetime risk of hyperplasia and cancers of the endometrium. Those are things that all need to be addressed when counseling someone with PCOS.”

Additionally, Roach said mental health screening and treatment is necessary for patients with PCOS, as they are also likely to experience anxiety and depression.

“If somebody has PCOS it’s important to do mental health screening on that patient and make sure that they get the appropriate treatments for their mental health,” she said.

Each September is designated as PCOS Awareness Month . The goal of the month is to help improve the lives of those affected by PCOS and to help them overcome their symptoms as well as prevent and reduce the risks for life-threatening related diseases. Sponsored by PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association, the month is a time for the group to share resources, information and events.

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According to the PCOS Association, this year’s theme is “Voices of Strength, Agents of Change.” The theme underscores the power of collective action in transforming PCOS care, the organization said.

To that end, Sept. 1 is World PCOS Day. According to the PCOS Association, the day was first marked in 2018. During this day, “individuals and organizations around the world come together in solidarity to promote PCOS awareness and support the hundreds of millions of people impacted by polycystic ovary syndrome worldwide.”

Local buildings will be lit up in teal to commemorate the day, including the state capitol building, NES Power building dome and Nissan Stadium. All three will be lit from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sept. 1, according to the PCOS Association .

Anyone who thinks they might have PCOS is recommended to speak with their doctor about their symptoms.

“Always being your own healthcare advocate is always really important,” Roach said. “If you feel like something is wrong, something is not right, you feel like your concerns aren’t being addressed, just be your own advocate and really reach out and find someone who is going to listen to you and get you the care that you need.”

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