How is PCOS treated?
The treatment given to a person suffering from PCOS varies depending on the preferences of the patient. Depending on the final aim that the patient wants to achieve as an outcome of the treatment, the entire treatment course is designed. The four basic goals of the patients could be- decreasing the level of insulin in the body, infertility treatment, curing of hirsutism, regulating menstrual cycles and preventing the occurrence of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer. For patients who are obese and have PCOS, the optimal method of treatment is to encourage them to lose weight, as losing all the excess weight can lead to regular menstrual cycles. Low carbohydrate diets and low GI diets are usually recommended to such women. Several medications such as pioglitazone, rosiglitazone and metformin are given to women to want their insulin levels to decrease and these medications can prove helpful in regulating the menstrual cycle and ovulation as well.
Most of the women who experience infertility problems, suffer from anovulation. Urine tests are done to detect the surge of LH with the help of ovulation predictor kits. Fertility monitors and also a detailed chart of cervical mucus are used to identify the ovulation pattern. Basal body temperatures are also used to identify ovulation. Also, after a period of seven days after ovulation, serum progesterone in mid-luteal phase is measured. Women, who are overweight and have anovulation, usually are suggested to improve their diet and cut down their weight in order to regulate their ovulation. If even the weight loss treatment does not work, then FSH and clomiphene citrate are used to treat infertility. For women, who show no improvement to clomiphone or diet treatments, ART or assisted reproductive technology) procedures which include controlling of hyperstimulation with the help of FSH injections and IVF (in vitro fertilisation) are used. However, women who have PCOS can run the risk of suffering from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome which is a dangerous medical condition. A recent development has been the facility to allow occytes which are in found in various follicles to be extracted and matured in natural cycles without use of simulation. This technique is known as In vitro maturation (IVM). Ovarian drilling is also done to treat polycystic ovaries at times.
To reduce hirsutisum, a standard contraceptive pill is used by many women. It is usually observed that In vitro maturation (IVM) is observed in almost all the contraceptive pills used by women for this purpose as it is supposed to have the ability to block male hormones that contribute to excessive hair. Menstruation can also be regulated with a contraceptive pill. The correction and regulation of menstrual period is recommended as it contributes greatly to the well being of the woman. Thus, these are a few of the treatments that are available to treat PCOS. Several women who have been experiencing trouble conceiving because of this problem can avail any of the above mentioned techniques and reduce their problems to a great extent.
