PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects one in 10 women during their childbearing years and causes their ovaries or adrenal glands to produce excessive male hormones. To get treatment for this common cause of infertility, call or make an appointment online today with Christina Nguyen, MD, Marvin Najjar, MD, and the team at WHASN West Valley in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What is PCOS?

PCOS is a common hormonal disorder where your ovaries don’t function correctly and, as a result, fail to ovulate and release eggs. When PCOS occurs, your hormonal environment becomes disorganized, which causes irregular and possibly prolonged menstrual bleeding and infertility. It may produce many small or large cysts within the ovary (though not always).

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

Signs and symptoms of PCOS either take effect around the time of your first menstrual period during puberty or develop later in life in response to substantial weight gain, but it can also happen without weight gain.

While signs and symptoms of PCOS vary, the most common include the following:

Irregular menstrual cycle

Your periods happen less than monthly or occur more often than usual and erratically.

Hirsutism

You grow too much hair where men usually have hair, including your face, chin, or other areas of your body.

Acne

Blemishes appear on your face, chest, and upper back.

Weight gain

Either your weight increases significantly, or you have difficulty losing excess pounds.

Skin darkening

The skin on your neck, groin, and under your breasts darkens.

Skin tags

You grow small excess flaps of skin in your armpits or neck area.

How is PCOS diagnosed?

A PCOS diagnosis depends on irregular cycles and excess levels of male hormones, so no one test diagnoses PCOS. Therefore, to determine if you're suffering from PCOS, the team reviews your medical history and performs a physical exam that includes several different tests.

• Physical exam, including a Pelvic exam: To check for signs of extra male hormones and check for swollen or enlarged ovaries
• Pelvic ultrasound (sonogram): To examine your ovaries for cysts and check the lining of your uterus
• Blood tests: Check hormone levels, cholesterol levels, and for diabetes; hormone testing may require several separately timed blood tests

How is PCOS treated?

There’s no cure for PCOS, so the team helps you manage your symptoms by suggesting lifestyle changes and prescribing hormones and other medications to minimize symptoms. When you're ready to conceive a child, they can help.

To get help managing the symptoms of PCOS, call or make an appointment online today with the WHASN West Valley team in Las Vegas, Nevada.