What happens if you have pcos

PCOS can cause problems during pregnancy for you and for your baby. Women with PCOS have higher rates of: 6. Your baby also has a higher risk of being heavy macrosomia and of spending more time in a neonatal intensive care unit NICU. Department of Health and Human Services. ET closed on federal holidays. Breadcrumb Home A-Z health topics Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome. Polycystic ovary syndrome Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. What is polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS? PCOS can cause missed or irregular menstrual periods. Irregular periods can lead to: Infertility inability to get pregnant.

In fact, PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. Development of cysts small fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries. Who gets PCOS? What are the symptoms of PCOS? Women with PCOS may miss periods or have fewer periods fewer than eight in a year. Or, their periods may come every 21 days or more often. Some women with PCOS stop having menstrual periods. Too much hair on the face, chin, or parts of the body where men usually have hair. This is called "hirsutism.

What causes PCOS? Most experts think that several factors, including genetics, play a role: High levels of androgens. Androgens are sometimes called "male hormones," although all women make small amounts of androgens. Androgens control the development of male traits, such as male-pattern baldness. Women with PCOS have more androgens than normal.

Higher than normal androgen levels in women can prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg ovulation during each menstrual cycle, and can cause extra hair growth and acne, two signs of PCOS. High levels of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls how the food you eat is changed into energy. Insulin resistance is when the body's cells do not respond normally to insulin.

As a result, your insulin blood levels become higher than normal. Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, especially those who have overweight or obesity, have unhealthy eating habits, do not get enough physical activity, and have a family history of diabetes usually type 2 diabetes. Over time, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Is PCOS linked to other health problems? More than half of women with PCOS will have diabetes or prediabetes glucose intolerance before the age of High blood pressure. High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.

Learn more about heart disease and stroke. Unhealthy cholesterol. High cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. Sleep apnea. This is when momentary and repeated stops in breathing interrupt sleep.

Many women with PCOS have overweight or obesity, which can cause sleep apnea. Sleep apnea raises your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are common among women with PCOS. Endometrial cancer. Problems with ovulation, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes all common in women with PCOS increase the risk of developing cancer of the endometrium lining of the uterus or womb.

Will my PCOS symptoms go away at menopause? How is PCOS diagnosed? To help diagnose PCOS and rule out other causes of your symptoms, your doctor may talk to you about your medical history and do a physical exam and different tests: Physical exam. There's no cure for PCOS, but the symptoms can be treated. Speak to a GP if you think you may have the condition. If you have PCOS and you're overweight, losing weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet can make some symptoms better.

Medicines are also available to treat symptoms such as excessive hair growth, irregular periods and fertility problems. If fertility medicines are not effective, 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.

Page last reviewed: 01 February Next review due: 01 February The 3 main features of PCOS are: irregular periods — which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs ovulation excess androgen — high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair polycystic ovaries — your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs follicles that surround the eggs but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.

Polycystic ovaries Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles that are up to 8mm approximately 0. When you see your healthcare provider they will probably ask questions about your symptoms and your medical and menstrual history and perform a simple physical exam.

If they think PCOS may be present, they may also: Ask questions about your full health history, including medical and surgical history, social history, and family history Test blood tests to check the levels of hormones and sugars in the blood. Hormones they will typically check for include: testosterone, thyroid hormone, prolactin, and tests of sugar metabolism Perform a pelvic ultrasound sonogram of your ovaries and uterus.

Several medications may be prescribed for PCOS. Birth control is not a cure, but it is often prescribed as a first-line treatment after or with lifestyle changes. Other medications which may be prescribed for PCOS include antidiabetic medication and anti-androgen medication to help in balancing hormones.

Metformin is a drug sometimes prescribed to help regulate blood sugar in some forms of PCOS. People who are trying to get pregnant might be prescribed a drug to help them ovulate Antidiabetic medications, which can improve the way the body uses insulin, are sometimes prescribed in combination with other measures to help manage weight 15, Diet, exercise, and behavioral changes can have a big impact in preventing and managing PCOS Reestablishing regular ovulation will help with the symptoms and health impacts of the condition.

Not smoking is also important, as nicotine may increase androgenic activity and smokers tend to have more testosterone in their body Smoking is associated with increased free testosterone and fasting insulin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, resulting in aggravated insulin resistance Some people seek out complementary medicine , including herbal treatments and supplements to help with their PCOS.

More research is needed on the effectiveness of these approaches for PCOS. In people without PCOS, ovulation the release of an egg from the ovary typically happens about once a month. People with PCOS may ovulate less frequently or predictably, and may be more prone to miscarriages, which is why PCOS is a common cause of infertility. For people trying to become pregnant , PCOS can make it harder to time sex to the fertile days of their menstrual cycle, when ovulation happens.

It can also take longer to become pregnant if ovulation is only occurring every few months. But research shows that over their lifetimes, both people with and without PCOS have a similar number of pregnancies and children 25, In fact, the majority of people with PCOS who are trying to conceive will become pregnant and give birth without any fertility treatment at least once in their life Yes, if you are having penis-vagina sex and want to avoid pregnancy.

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