To treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), doctors at NYU Langone Hospital prescribe medication to women. Other symptoms include menstrual irregularities, an abundance of body and facial hair, acne, and thinning hair on the scalp.

Insulin resistance is when the body has trouble utilizing insulin, which is necessary to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Medication may also avoid the long-term consequences of PCOS, commonly caused by insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol, and obesity are complications.

Contraceptive Pills

The estrogen and progesterone in birth control tablets can help regulate your menstrual cycle. In addition, they may alleviate many of the symptoms of excessive androgen production, including acne and undesirable facial and body hair. 

Commonly prescribed birth control tablets that include estrogen and progesterone are typically safe for women who don’t smoke or have a blood-clotting disease. The medication poses a risk of blood clotting, particularly for smokers.

Anti-Androgens

Our doctors may recommend an anti-androgen drug like spironolactone to counteract the effects of androgens like testosterone. Menstrual periods may become unpredictable while using anti-androgen medicines. If you become pregnant while taking these remedies, your unborn child may be harmed, so physicians frequently prescribe them birth control tablets. 

Certain anti-androgen drugs may produce potentially substantial side effects, such as difficulties with electrolytes, liver disease, or lower white blood cell counts, which can increase the risk of infection. These consequences are rare, but they can have a negative impact.

Metformin

Insulin resistance is a common complication of PCOS and may lead to increased androgen synthesis, irregular menstruation, obesity, and diabetes. Metformin is a medicine medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It belongs to the classification of biguanides, which decrease the liver’s glucose production and help the muscles and body utilize insulin more effectively. 

Metformin is typically administered orally once or twice daily and is most effective when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Metformin can aid in menstrual cycle regulation and promote weight loss. Most patients can manage this adverse effect by progressively increasing the dosage and consuming Metformin with sustenance.

Polycystic ovary syndrome-Treatment

There is no known treatment for PCOS. However, the symptoms may be controlled.

Because a person with PCOS may experience a variety of symptoms or only one, treatment options can vary.

The primary therapeutic options are elaborated upon in greater detail below.

Lifestyle adjustments

Losing weight can significantly improve PCOS symptoms and the risk of developing long-term health concerns in obese women.

A mere 5% weight loss can significantly ease PCOS symptoms.

Your body mass index (BMI), an indicator of your weight in proportion to your height, may be utilized to determine if you are a healthy weight.

Normal BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. Determine whether your BMI falls within the healthy range using the BMI healthy weight calculator.

You can lose weight by workout regularly and consuming a nutritious diet.

Your diet should exist mainly of fruits and vegetables (at least 5 servings per day), whole-grain foods (such as whole-grain bread, whole-grain cereals, brown rice), lean meats, salmon, and poultry.

If you need specific dietary advice, your physician may be able to mention you to a dietitian.

Medicines

There are numerous cures available to treat the various PCOS-related symptoms.

Inconsistent or missing periods

Periods may be caused with progestogen pills, typically taken every 3 to 4 months but can also be taken monthly or induced using the contraceptive pill.

Additionally, regular cycles will lessen the long-term chance of getting endometrial cancer, a cancer of the lining of the uterus.

Other hormonal forms of birth control, like an intrauterine system (IUS), will also lower this chance by keeping the womb’s lining thin, but they may not cause periods.

Other indications

Other PCOS-related issues may also be treated with medications, such as:

Weight-loss medication, such as Orlistat, may be prescribed if you are overweight.

You should take cholesterol-lowering medication (statins) if you have excessive blood cholesterol levels.

Acne remedies.

IVF procedure

If you have PCOS and medications do not help you conceive, you may be offered IVF treatment.

This involves removing embryos from the ovaries and fertilizing them outside the womb. The fertilized egg or ova is then returned to the uterus.

If you have PCOS, IVF treatment increases your likelihood of producing twins or triplets.

Surgery

Laser ovarian drilling (LOD) is a minor surgical procedure that may be used to treat PCOS-related fertility issues that do not respond to medication.

Under broad anesthesia, your doctor will make a minor incision in your lower abdomen and insert a long, thin microscope laparoscope into your abdomen.

To eliminate the tissue-generating androgens (male hormones), the ovaries will subsequently undergo surgical treatment with heat or a laser.

LOD has been shown to decrease testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels while increasing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels.

This may help to balance out your hormones and get your ovaries back to working normally.

Pregnancy troubles

PCOS raises the risk of developing difficulties during pregnancy, including high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and loss of the pregnancy.

These dangers are heightened if you are rotund. Before attempting pregnancy, if you are overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk by losing weight.