Pcos

Megan O’Brien

Concept Paper

Composition 102

March 16, 2014

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome

(PCOS)

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It is a health problem that can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels and appearance. As many as 5 million women in the United States may be affected. It can occur in girls as young as 11 years old. PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders among females (Womens Health). It is thought to be one of the leading causes of female subfertility or less fertile, and the most frequent endocrine problem in reproductive women. Because it is the most common endocrine disorder, women should become more aware of this disorder. I just recently discovered that I have the disorder and it is alarming. Many questions that came to mind are: will I be able to have children some day and why is it that I have this disorder? By researching more about PCOS I can better my understanding of the symptoms, causes of PCOS, why women with PCOS have trouble with their menstrual cycle and fertility and how it can be treated.

Women that are diagnosed with PCOS may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. Symptoms tend to be mild at first. The most common symptoms of PCOS include; acne, weight gain and trouble losing weight, extra hair on the face and body, sometimes women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back, thinning hair on the scalp, irregular periods, often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year, some women have no periods and others have very heavy bleeding, fertility problems, infertility, and depression.

According to many resources, the cause of PCOS is unknown. But most experts think that several factors, including genetics, could be the reason. Women with PCOS are more likely to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries....