If you constantly struggle with missed periods or you’re having difficulties getting pregnant because of an irregular menstrual cycle, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could be to blame.
At his practice in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Dr. Daniel Esteves and the rest of our team offer comprehensive gynecological services. These include well-woman exams and diagnostic procedures that can help narrow down possible causes of irregular periods, such as PCOS.
This month’s blog discusses what you need to know about PCOS, including why it causes irregular periods.
PCOS is a hormone-related condition that can affect women during childbearing years. The condition changes your ovulation cycle, preventing the release of eggs for fertilization. Because of the ovulation changes, you can experience sporadic periods, missed periods, bleeding between periods, and heavy bleeding during your period.
When you have PCOS, you typically also have high levels of androgens, which can cause an increase in hair growth on your face and body and contribute to hair loss.
The hormone imbalances from PCOS can also cause cysts to develop on your ovaries. These cysts can grow large enough to cause discomfort and make it difficult to conceive or maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Having PCOS can also increase your risk for other chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure (hypertension), and endometrial cancer.
Our team starts the PCOS diagnostic process by reviewing your personal and family medical histories. This includes asking questions about your periods or other bothersome symptoms and discussing any challenges you’re facing with infertility.
Next, we perform a pelvic exam to check for ovarian cysts and order blood work to assess your reproductive hormone levels.
All this information allows us to customize a care plan that treats the specific PCOS symptoms that interfere with your health. Our team can also provide resources to address infertility if you’re ready to start or expand your family.
Currently, there is no cure for PCOS. However, our goal is to find the most effective management strategies to help keep your most concerning symptoms under control.
Typically, a first course of action is to try some lifestyle and diet changes, which can help you lose any weight you’ve gained due to imbalanced hormones. The weight loss and nutritious diet should help restore some hormone balance.
Another effective treatment option is low-dose birth control pills. They can regulate your periods and lower your risk for cancer. If you’re trying to get pregnant, we can prescribe other medications to stabilize ovulation.
Once you start your customized treatment plan, our team will monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed.
If you suspect that PCOS is the reason behind your irregular periods, schedule an appointment for an evaluation by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.
