PCOS Worldwide Journalist
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder which affects about 6-10% of women who are of reproductive age. 1 PCOS is hard to diagnose and therefore frequently missed by health care professionals. If a woman has less than eight menstrual cycles per year, there is an 80% potential chance she has PCOS.
Although 10% of women with PCOS are lean, insulin resistance and weight issues are normally characteristic of PCOS.
PCOS is diagnosed by 3 main features (3):
PCOS is diagnosed by 3 main features (3):
• Hyperandrogenism (high levels of masculinizing hormones)
• Anovulation (lack of ovulation)
• Polycystic ovaries (diagnosed by transvaginal pelvic ultrasound)
Common diagnostic laboratory measures include but are not limited to:
• C-peptide (measures insulin output by the pancreas)
• Glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (measures the previous 3 month blood sugar average)
• Fasting glucose level (levels above 100 can be indicative of insulin resistance)
• Fasting insulin (levels above 10 can be indicative of insulin resistance)
• Oral glucose tolerance test
• Total and free testosterone
• DHEAS sulfate
• FSH (follicle stimulating hormone)
• LH (luteinizing hormone)
• Cholesterol panel (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides)
• C-reactive protein (measure inflammation in the body)
Two of the most common laboratory measures to check are a fasting blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin A1C. Statistically, if the fasting blood sugar is over 100 and the Glycosylated A1C is over 5.5%, professionals only miss the diagnosis of PCOS in 1.5% of cases, as opposed to missing 15-20% of the cases of women with PCOS.
Commonly, there is a high triglyceride level coupled with a low HDL, and an elevated LDL cholesterol. Women with PCOS have a two-fold risk of myocardial infarction, equal to a woman of 70 years old. 1
Although oral contraceptives are frequently recommended and prescribed, they may actually worsen insulin resistance, cause glucose intolerance, increase triglycerides and increase cardiovascular disease. In addition, there is a 2-fold increase in cardiovascular events in woman with PCOS taking oral contraceptives versus normal women. The world of PCOS can be a fish bowl. Remember to always speak with your physician before taking any vitamins, hormones or herbal medications. PCOS causes similar symptoms and side effects for many women but every woman is different. It is important to consult your physician before taking any medications.
Resources used:
Medicinenet.com
MD Michael T. Sheehan, MD
Medicinenet.com