What is the PCOD Problem in Women And How Does it Affect Fertility?

What is the PCOD Problem in Women: The ever-evolving work-driven world often confines us in our houses. Consequently, we skip daily exercise, disrupt our routines and habits, and always experience stress. Even while this is not a surprise for anyone, these little changes significantly affect women’s health. Regular menstruation indicates a well-functioning reproductive system. However, this hectic lifestyle of the modern world might lead to some women experiencing irregular menstruation. Even while it can be difficult to predict when your period will arrive, the problem can be aggravated by the possibility of PCOD. But what is the PCOD problem in women?

What is the PCOD Problem in Women?

With the advent of the twentieth century, most require everything at once. The latest motto for the current generation is now or never- leaving no room for patience in the littlest of the activities we carry out. We like our food prepared in two minutes or less and our pizzas delivered in thirty. Earlier generations led contented, stress-free lives, but stress is a natural part of life. So, what is the PCOD problem in women, and where does it kick in?

Demanding schedules, insufficient self-care, and dietary habits affect our bodily functions, leading to hormonal imbalances. PCOD, a common condition in women, results in one or both enlarged ovaries containing cysts or fluid-filled sacs. 

Ovulation causes an ovary to retain its size and have services; however, an affected by PCOD has smooth and swollen ovaries due to the absence of ovulation. It usually occurs when the body experiences an imbalance in hormones, leading to an excess of the male hormone androgen. In extreme and untreated circumstances, PCOD can also lead to infertility, diabetes, and heart disease.

Read Also: What is Difference Between PCOS and PCOD?

Decoding The Tell-Tale Symptoms

Since PCOD hampers your chances of getting pregnant, your reproductive organs must be in optimal condition, regardless of your stage of life. You must monitor all symptoms right from puberty since ignorance has serious consequences. Still, wondering what is the PCOD problem in women and how to spot it? Simply, see a doctor if you discover anything strange about your body or if you have any of these symptoms.

• Period irregularities: Getting irregular or skipped periods? Keep a tight eye on your cycles to detect early signs of PCOD. Additionally, some women feel a heavy or light flow, a subliminal indicator of irregular menstruation.
• Body Acne: Are you noticing abnormal breakouts? Women with PCOD often experience prominent acne on their faces, necks, and backs of their bodies.
• Variable Weight: Most PCOS-affected women often develop weight-related issues. Is your diet not working for you? PCOD may be the cause of your inability to lose weight, even after exercising and following a diet.
• Hair Fall: Noticing hair fall or thinning even with a healthy scalp routine is one of the first signs of PCOD. Male pattern or crown baldness is a common symptom of PCOD in women. Some even experience hair loss in this area.
• Excessive Hair Growth: The condition can transition into Hirsutism, where most women with PCOD have facial, back, stomach, and chest hair growth. 
• Mood Disorders: The sudden changes in the body can be overwhelming, leading to depression and body image issues in women.

The Underlying Triggers of PCOD

Most women with PCOD neglect to ask their doctor about what is a PCOD problem in women and what causes or happens during the disease when searching for a solution. Cysts are a part of the full development of PCOD- however, they are not the actual cause of the condition. Cysts indicate a hormonal and metabolic disorder affecting the body. The trapped egg follicles in the ovary in the absence of ovulation in PCOD patients take the shape of cysts.

Women who suffer from PCOD also have elevated testosterone levels. Therefore, while discussing the etiology of PCOS, elevated androgen levels are a factor.

• Overproduction of insulin: Excessive insulin release in the body often leads to an increase in androgen production. The excess of this male hormone produced in females often interferes with ovulation.
• Overproduction of androgen: The ovaries create excessive amounts of androgen hormones, causing Hirsutism, the growth of facial and body hair, and acne.
• Low-grade inflammation: According to a recent study, women with PCOS have low-grade inflammation, which raises the production of testosterone and results in cardiac problems or blood vessel problems.
• Genetic Correlates: PCOD and developing high androgens can have a hereditary component. Women with PCOD exhibit genetic markers. Women who carry the PCOD gene are more likely to acquire the illness in the right conditions. The symptoms of PCOD are reversible by treating the underlying cause of PCOD or eliminating certain environmental factors.
• Weight Issues: A heavier weight can occasionally exacerbate polycystic ovarian syndrome symptoms and insulin resistance. Some women with PCOD claim to be a healthy weight and to have never had symptoms like irregular menstruation or excessive hair growth.

Read Also: Empowering Couples For Parenthood: Navigating Pregnancy With PCOS And PCOD

PCOD Complications to Watch For

Remember, your lifestyle choices impact various metabolic processes, including the health of your hormones. The following PCOD complications need the urgent supervision of a skilled practitioner.

• Abnormal uterine bleeding
• Infertility or hypertension infertility
• Type 2 diabetes
• Preterm labor and premature birth
• Metabolic syndrome 
• NASH (Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)
• Sleep apnea (Common in overweight women, causes repeated pauses in breathing during the night, which interrupt sleep)
• Endometrial cancer (Due to thickened uterine lining)
• Miscarriage (spontaneous loss of pregnancy)

Read Also: What Is The Best Age To Get Pregnant With PCOS?

Identifying Polycystic Ovary Disorder

A significant 25% of females receive a diagnosis of polycystic ovaries. The diagnosis involves imaging, blood tests, and physical symptoms impacting body systems. The gynecologist will inquire about medical history, eating and drinking habits, and the use of any prescription or over-the-counter medications, including vitamins and supplements, depending on symptoms. Here are some usual tests for PCOD you might have to go through:

• Pelvic Examination: In the pelvic examination, the doctor examines the reproductive organs physically to look for growths, anomalies, or lumps.
• Blood testing: A fasting lipid profile measures total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride levels, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The doctors also perform glucose tolerance tests to understand hormone levels better.
• MRI examination: Doctors perform ultrasound imaging tests to measure a patient’s ovarian cysts, uterine lining, and ovarian size.

Read Also: Yoga for PCOS: Top Asanas to Conquer PCOS and Boost Fertility

Managing PCOD: Treatment Options

Still searching for answers now; you know what is the PCOD problem in women? Well, individual conditions in PCOD treatment stem from stress of infertility, hirsutism, weight gain, irregular periods, and acne. You can, however, discuss your options and have a quick chat with a gynecologist to discuss the treatment options:

Lifestyle changes:

Lifestyle changes are synonymous with mental and physical health. A PCOD treatment plan begins with dietary adjustments, exercise, and weight loss.

• Maintaining a healthy weight: Reducing or maintaining a healthy weight can help lower blood pressure and the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Cutting back on carbs: Maintain a diet high in complex carbohydrates or low in carbs to stabilize your insulin levels. Consume seafood, meat, eggs, vegetables grown above ground, and natural fats from foods like butter and pumpkin seeds.
• Be active and exercise frequently: Exercising regularly helps maintain and control your weight and blood sugar levels if you have PCOD or PCOS.

Taking Medication:

While over-the-counter treatments are available, your doctor may advise you to take specific prescriptions to restore a regular menstrual cycle.

• Progestin Therapy: To regulate your menstrual cycle and prevent endometrial cancer, your doctor can prescribe progestin medicine 10–14 days a week for at least two months.
• Birth Control Pills: It includes taking progestin and estrogen-containing pills to lower testosterone production and control estrogen levels. Birth control drugs improve bleeding, lessen acne and excessive hair growth, and minimize the risk of cancer.

Infertility From PCOD: Taking the Surgical Route

A significant consequence of PCOD is that it can interfere with a woman’s ability to release her eggs. The improper development of endometrial lining due to the condition can also prevent mature eggs from being deposited in the uterine wall.

Most women with PCOD can conceive with fertility treatment, even though statistics are hard to come by due to case variations and treatment success rates. It is more the case for women under the age of 35. However, if other fertility-improvement methods fail, surgery may be the only possibility, like ovarian drilling, to restore regular ovulation.

Read Also: 7 Steps to Getting Pregnant with Blocked Fallopian Tubes

Bottom Line:

The win-win situation after understanding what is the PCOD problem in women is that doctors suggest that PCOS-related infertility is often curable. Our team at Nandi IVF has helped numerous families worldwide realize their dreams of becoming a parent with years of expertise in treating fertility-related problems.

So, why suffer when assistance is only a click away? Schedule an online appointment at Nandi IVF to visit our esteemed gynecologists and feel comfortable interacting about your fertility-related treatment options.

FAQs

Q1: What is the main cause of PCOD?
Ans: The onset of PCOD does not depend on the sexual engagement of a woman. The condition occurs due to hormonal imbalances caused by lifestyle choices, poor diet, or genetics.

Q2: What does PCOD stand for?
Ans: PCOD stands for polycystic ovarian disorder, deriving its name from the numerous little cysts (fluid-filled sacs) that develop in the ovaries. Some women develop cysts without the disease, while some women with the disorder do not.

Q3: Is PCOD a chronic condition?
Ans: Although there is no perfect treatment for PCOD, it is not a major issue. You can manage PCOD and its associated symptoms by maintaining a healthy weight, adhering to a complex carbohydrate diet, exercising frequently, and engaging in physical activity.

Q4: Why does PCOD occur?
Ans: The exact cause of PCOS is still unknown, and it likely varies from person to person. There could be influences from the environment, behavior, genetics, and lifestyle leading to PCOD.

Read Also: PCOD Problem After Marriage: Reasons Behind Women’s Experience

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Dr. Payal Bajaj

Sr. IVF Specialist & Medical Director at NANDI IVF

Dr. Payal Bajaj is an experienced Obstetrician & Gynecologist with over 20 years of experience in the discipline. She is a Reproductive Endocrinologist & Infertility Specialist. She has Done MBBS From the Renowned Lady Hardinge Medical College. DGO from the prestigious VMMC & Safdarjang Hospital, DMAS From World Laparoscopy Hospital.

She has Completed Her esteemed ASPIRE -ISAR Fellowship in the field of Reproductive Medicine from AFGC, Delhi And St' Mother's Hospital Japan.She has also been trained from the University of KEIL Germany. She has won various academic awards all through her academic career.

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