Irregular menstruation - manifestation of polycystic ovary?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Thanh - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital
Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and is a major cause of infertility.

1. What is polycystic ovary?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder and is one of the most common causes of infertility due to lack of ovulation or ovulation disorders.
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 7-10% of women of reproductive age. The disease usually appears during puberty but can also appear between the ages of 20 and 25.
Women with PCOS are often those who have abnormal increases in the levels of Testosterone and LH, these substances. disrupts follicular development. Ovaries appear many small follicles (from 6 to 10 follicles <10mm in size) because the follicles cannot develop, the eggs cannot mature and ovulation occurs.

2. Causes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

The cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is still unknown. The salient features of the syndrome are reproductive pathologies (hyperandrogenemia, anovulation) and metabolic disturbances (insulin resistance, obesity) to the extent that it is unclear which precedes the disease. There is no single etiological factor that can account for all abnormalities seen in polycystic ovary syndrome.

3. Signs of Polycystic Ovary

Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by clinical and/or biochemical symptoms of hyperandrogenism and by chronic anovulation. Most of the features of the syndrome develop with the onset of puberty and the severity ranges from mild hirsutism to menstrual disturbances such as oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, and even infertility. Infertility can be a symptom that prompts a patient to seek medical attention.
Menstrual disorders Irregular menstrual cycles are a defining criterion for polycystic ovary syndrome and can manifest in a variety of ways. Irregular menstruation (less than 8 menstrual periods/year or a menstrual cycle of more than 35 days), irregular menstruation or amenorrhea are common menstrual disorders in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often have enough estrogen but lack progesterone. This causes endometrial hyperplasia and abnormal uterine bleeding by chronic estrogen stimulation – increasing the risk of endometrial cancer. Less commonly, women with PCOS present with secondary amenorrhea (~24%), these women have lower estrogen levels, higher levels of free testosterone and androgens, and are less responsive. with treatment.

Infertility Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may ovulate intermittently and therefore have a harder time conceiving. If they become pregnant, these women are at increased risk of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage, and premature delivery. A group of women with persistent polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility.
Obesity Central visceral obesity (abdominal obesity) affects 40% to 50% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Obesity is unlikely to be an initiating factor in the development of the syndrome but is an independent risk factor for reproductive and metabolic complications. Abdominal obesity body phenotype (increased waist-to-hip ratio) associated with a higher risk of insulin resistance and progression to type 2 diabetes has also been observed in women with obese polycystic ovary syndrome. and skinny.
Hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance can occur even in non-obese individuals, but these conditions, if present, aggravate the condition.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are susceptible to:
Infertility due to not ovulating. Diabetes (mainly type 2 diabetes) is caused by a disorder in the regulation of the hormone estrogen and insulin in the body. Hypertension. High blood fats, especially bad fats (LDL-cholesterol), lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. How to treat polycystic ovary?

Currently, there is no specific treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome. Treatment varies depending on the goal: to treat symptoms of hyperandrogenism or to treat infertility.
Weight loss plays a very important role in the treatment modality. Medications that stimulate follicular growth. In addition to medical treatment methods, laparoscopic burning points on the surface of the ovary can be performed. In case of failure of the above treatment, doctors advise using other methods, such as IVF. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common syndrome in women of reproductive age due to a lack of ovulation. Common symptoms of this syndrome are sparse menstruation, amenorrhea, hirsutism, obesity. In the case of unmarried patients, who still have periods but have irregular periods, they only need to be examined and monitored every 6 months or 1 year. If you do not get pregnant after one to two years of getting married, you should go to the doctor soon and the patient should not be too worried.

Currently, Vinmec has a basic gynecological screening package, which helps to detect the disease even when there are no symptoms and treat polycystic ovary syndrome according to the regimen best suited to the condition, in order to bring the best results. best for the patient's health.

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