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Ways To Manage Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

By Asha Das

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a health condition that affects a woman’s menstrual cycle, physical appearance, overall health and ability to bear children. When a woman has PCOS, they will have a higher level of the male hormone -- androgen, missed periods and cysts. This is usually found in women in the child bearing age.

The main cause of PCOS has not been identified yet. But, there are a few factors such as hormonal imbalance that may be causing it.

The basic problem of having a PCOS is that it doesn’t allow the ovary to make all the hormones that are required for the egg to mature properly; which in turn will not allow the woman to bear a child.

Ways To Manage Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

If you need to identify if you have PCOS or if the symptoms are caused by something else, there are a few basic things that your doctor will check. Those are your medical history, physical exam, pelvic exam, blood test and a scan. There is no cure for PCOS, but it can be managed. Below are a few ways to manage polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Living Healthy

To help manage polycystic ovarian syndrome, a healthy and a balanced diet is very essential. Women with PCOS are usually very obese and this in turn can cause health problems. This can be managed by eating healthy, proper fruits and vegetables. A high fibre diet will also help.

Birth Control Pills
Another way to manage polycystic ovarian syndrome is to use birth control pills. This will help control the menstrual cycle and reduce the male hormone. But once this is used on a regular basis, there is no chance of bearing a baby. For women who don’t want to bear a child, this is a good solution to PCOS.

Insulin Medication
The diabetic treatments that are used for type 2 diabetes can also control the PCOS. It will control the sugar levels and also help reduce the testosterone hormone production. This will also help the reduction of hair growth and this might also help ovulation to return.

Fertility Medication
Fertility medications can be helpful in the lack of ovulation; this can be one of the main reasons for the fertility problems in women. There can be various treatment options that can be done to help improve the ovulation and help women bear a child. The IVF is the most effective treatment to get pregnant.

Surgery
This option is used when women do not respond to fertility medication. The procedure is called ovulation drilling to increase the chance of ovulation and decrease the level of male hormones. This is only a temporary fix and may last only for a few months.

There are different ways to manage polycystic ovarian syndrome. It will depend on the intensity of the male hormone production and whether you want to bear a child. A healthy diet will usually help to a great extent to manage PCOS.

Story first published: Friday, September 26, 2014, 17:04 [IST]
Read more about: pregnancy conceiving