Diabetes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Written by Michael Corrieri

One of the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes in women is if they first have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS.

As I reviewed all the signs, symptoms and risk factors for diabetes, I kept noticing that one of the top risk factors for women was if they had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. I had never heard of this syndrome before and started to dismiss it. Then I read the description of the condition, and reviewed the signs and symptoms. I may not have heard the name before, but I can list three or more friends and acquaintances that seem to have many of the signs and symptoms. It was defiantly worth a closer look.

The Definition of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

This condition affects the ovaries, and in some cases , a woman’s adrenal glands. If you have this syndrome, then the ovaries or adrenal glands are producing a higher than normal quantity of the androgens hormone. The elevated amount of androgens will influence a woman’s physical chemistry by interfering with the egg ovulation. This can cause cysts or fluid-filled sacs or to form on the ovaries.

PCOS and Increased Risk for other Diseases

Any woman that has PCOS has a much higher danger of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which is often a precursor to diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is an indication that your body is having problems regulating insulin levels.

There is also a greater chance for women with PCOS to develop any cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

Signs and Symptoms of PCOS

The most common sign and symptom of PCOS is female infertility. Because PCOS doesn’t allow a woman to release eggs during ovulation, it is almost impossible for them to get pregnant.

Besides infertility, there is often pelvic pain. PCOS can also cause hair growth on the thumbs and toes. You can also have hair growing on your chest, face, or stomach. This extra hair is called Hirsutism. The reverse of this is thinning hair, or baldness on your head. Other PCOS symptoms include dandruff. It may also cause oily skin or acne. A woman can get thick, black or sometimes dark brown patches on their skin. Women who are obese are more likely to have PCOS.

Diagnosing PCOS

Often PCOS is caught when a doctor does a pelvic exam and feels cysts on your ovaries. The doctor will need a medical history and to know if anyone in your family has had PCOS or diabetes. Part of the exam and diagnosis could include the use of a vaginal ultrasound, and there may be blood work done to measure hormone levels.

You may be given other tests to measure your insulin or glucose levels. Additionally the doctor may want your cholesterol and triglycerides tested.

Treatment For PCOS

Since there isn’t a cure for PCOS, the treatment will only help manage the symptoms and may keep PCOS from triggering diabetes or one of the other conditions that it can be a factor in. Managing and treating this condition is more successful the earlier it is diagnosed.

The doctor may prescribe birth control pills to help regulate the woman’s periods. This can also help reduce androgen levels and clear acne. Additional medications can be used to minimize hair growth, and control blood pressure and cholesterol.

Fertility

PCOS causes menstrual irregularities that include amenorrhea, which means a woman won’t get menstrual periods. It can also cause oligomenorrhea, a where the woman only has occasional periods. Because PCOS prevents eggs from being released, most women have difficulty getting pregnant.

In women without PCOS, the egg matures and is released to travel to the uterus for fertilization. PCOS causes the follicles that hold the eggs to bunch together and form large lumps or cysts. The eggs will mature within these cysts, but the follicles don’t break open and release them.

Some women with PCOS may get pregnant naturally and some can utilize reproductive therapy to become pregnant. However, if they do become pregnant, PCOS puts a woman at higher risk for miscarriage.

Summary

PCOS in itself is a health condition that needs treatment and sometimes a life style change. But having PCOS also puts a woman at increased risk for other diseases, like type 2 diabetes. It is important to understand this risk and make the changes to your life style like adding regular exercise and working on losing weight to help keep the blood sugar at a normal level. Regulating insulin levels and losing weight will help reduce many of the additional health condition and provide an added benefit of lessoning or even getting rid of the PCOS symptoms.