Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – A Hormonal Disorder
As reported by the Hormone Foundation, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of childbearing age. There are approximately 5 to 7 million women who suffer with this ailment in the U. S. alone.
The term polycystic is defined as “many cysts.” With PCOS, patients have many clusters of pearl-sized cysts inside the ovaries. Each cyst is fluid-filled and contains eggs that won’t be released due to the hormonal imbalance. To be clear, most women have a few cysts in the ovaries, but not to the degree as with PCOS.
The accumulation of these cysts even changes the size and appearance of the ovaries. The complications begin when this syndrome starts to affect other body symptoms. Women with PCOS have an increased risk for diabetes or being insulin resistant. Then there is the likelihood of heart and blood vessel diseases which may include high blood pressure. Additionally, due to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) not being discharged regularly as it should, it tends to become very thick. This may be a precursor to certain kinds of cancer. Finally, there is the sleep disorder, sleep apnea, which causes breathing irregularities, snoring and persistent interrupted sleep.
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