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POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME

• Dr Fulufhelo Tshivhula
• Specialist Gynaecologist
• Polokwane
• 62 Burger street
• 015 291 4310

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What are polycystic ovaries?

• Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of
  harmless cysts up to 8mm in size. The cysts are
  under-developed sacs in which eggs develop. Often
  in PCOS, these sacs are unable to release an egg,
  meaning ovulation doesn't take place.
• It's estimated that about 1 in every 5 women in
  South Africa has polycystic ovaries, but more
  than half of these have no symptoms.

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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of PCOS usually become apparent during
your late teens or early twenties. They can
include irregular periods or no periods at
all difficulty getting pregnant (because of
irregular ovulation or failure to
ovulate) excessive hair growth (hirsutism)
- usually on the face, chest, back or
buttocks weight gain thinning hair and hair
loss from the head oily skin or acne   Polycystic
ovary syndrome is associated with an increased
risk of problems in later life, such as type 2
diabetes and high cholesterol levels. You should
speak to your GP if you think you may have PCOS.
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WHY IT HAPPENS
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it often
runs in families. The condition is associated
with abnormal hormone levels in the body,
including having high levels of insulin. Insulin
is a hormone that controls sugar levels in the
body. Many women with PCOS have too much insulin
in their body, which contributes to the increased
production and activity of hormones such as
testosterone. Being overweight increases the
amount of insulin your body produces.
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Treating polycystic ovary syndrome
There's no cure for PCOS, but the symptoms can be
treated.  If you have PCOS and are overweight,
losing weight and eating a healthy diet can help
reduce some symptoms. Medications are also
available to treat symptoms such as excessive
hair growth, irregular periods and fertility
problems. If fertility medications are
ineffective, a simple surgical procedure
called laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) may be
recommended. This involves using heat or a laser
to destroy the tissue in the ovaries that's
producing androgens such as testosterone. With
treatment, most women with PCOS are able to get
pregnant.
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Thanks
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