Andrea Flores Edinburg- UT Health RGV Director of Women’s and Children’s Services explains how PCOS, a common disorder in women, can sometimes be misdiagnosed and talks about its specifics and effects.
Irregular menstrual cycles, such as less than eight times a year and excessive hair growth are some of the signs of polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, a common disorder in reproductive-age women.
According to the World Health Organization, 70% of PCOS affected women remain undiagnosed, but Doctor Denise De Los Santos said she sees another pattern in some of her patients.
“A lot of the time patients don’t really understand why they were diagnosed,” De Los Santos said. “When somebody tells me ‘Oh, they just looked at my ultrasound and that’s what it was.’ A lot of people think that they have it, but actually, technically they probably don’t.”
She said it is important to rule out any other hormonal issues and clarify what PCOS is and what it does.
PCOS stems from an excess in male hormones. In women with no PCOS, one follicle releases an egg every month, this is called ovulation. In women with PCOS, all follicles are ready to release an egg, but none go through the process, resulting in no menstrual cycle.
Other symptoms include weight gain and the growth of coarse male-type hair in uncommon areas for women, such as the chin.
McAllen resident Kassandra Munoz has had PCOS since she was 16. In an interview with KVAQ-TV, Munoz said living with this condition comes with fatigue, mood changes, persistent acne around the jawline and difficulty losing weight.
“I didn’t know the ovaries were such, like, a root cause to like how your body is,” Munoz said.
Some risks of PCOS include developing cardiovascular diseases, fertility issues, diabetes and uterus cancer.
De Los Santos added that hormonal medication as well as behavioral strategies, such as dietary changes and physical activity, are ways to regulate the issue. However, she says PCOS is a lifelong condition.
She recommends paying a visit to the ob-gyn at least once a year.
