Treatment Options For Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Posted on: 12 August 2018

Women at reproductive age can suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome. Women who are suffering from this condition may experience an excess in male hormone and may suffer from irregular periods. You may either have very frequent and heavy periods, or you may have infrequent periods. The condition can contribute to other side effects such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

Make Lifestyle Changes

After you have been screened and your doctor has determined that you have polycystic ovary syndrome, the next step is to make lifestyle changes that can help bring your condition under control. If you are obese, losing weight can reduce the severity of the polycystic ovary syndrome symptoms. Also, losing weight can make the medication prescribed to treat this condition more effective.

Get On a Low-Carb Diet

Besides making medications more effective, weight loss will reduce androgen and insulin level, which might restore ovulation to normal. If you get on a low carb diet, you will have lower insulin levels. When you consume carbohydrates, choosing a complex carbohydrate diet will raise your insulin levels more slowly.

Exercise More Frequently

Make sure to exercise regularly. Not only will this help you lose weight but it will also reduce your blood sugar levels. You will be less likely to develop diabetes, and you'll improve your polycystic ovary syndrome. 

Take Birth Control Pills

If you are not trying to get pregnant, your doctor may recommend that you take combination birth control pills. In addition to preventing pregnancy, they will also regulate your estrogen levels and reduce androgen production. They can help correct abdominal bleeding, acne, and abnormal hair growth. Most importantly, birth control pills can reduce your risk of endometriosis.

Participate in Progestin Therapy

If you are trying to get pregnant, your doctor may recommend progestin therapy. While this therapy will not help with your androgen levels, it will reduce your risk of endometrial cancer. This is a form of cancer that develops in the uterus. Also, to improve your chances of pregnancy, you may need to take a medication that helps you ovulate such as clomiphene. 

Take Medications to Reduce Unwanted Hair

Even if you are trying to get pregnant, you can reduce your androgen levels by taking Spironolactone. This will reduce androgen production in the skin and will reduce hair growth. Eflornithine can be effective against facial hair growth. Each of these treatments will help restore your body to normal.

For more information on health screenings for women, contact your local women's clinic. 

Share

Spotlight on Reproductive Health

When I was growing up, I always knew that I wanted to have children, but I wanted to wait until I had graduated from college and had a stable career to have one. One I was married and settled down, we began attempting to conceive, but with no luck. I almost gave up on having a child before I even consulted my OBGYN about my problem. She gave me many helpful tips for conceiving and after following her tips, I finally became pregnant with my first child! I think that more women need to become informed about their reproductive health and what affects it, so I decided to start a blog to share tips my OBGYN has given me and advice about other female health topics that I have learned since. I hope I can help you learn more about female health!

Categories

Latest Posts