Page 34 - February 2020 Issue Forensic PDF

Forensic News Journal
My Life’s Journey: Living with PCOS pg 34-39
©2014-2020 SYT Global, Inc.

My Life’s Journey: Living P

C
with PCOS By Sonya Trippett O

S

My journey with the ries also produce a small fluid-filled sacs grow insi-
discovery of PCOS started amount of male hormones de the ovaries. The word A

with me having no idea of called androgens. “polycystic” means “many W
this disease or even know- cysts.” These sacs are fol- A
ing what was happening to The ovaries release eggs licles, each one containing R

me. Here below is the de- to be fertilized by a man’s an immature egg. The E
scription of PCOS (Poly- sperm. The release of an eggs never mature enough N

cystic Ovarian Syndrome). egg each month is called to trigger ovulation. The E
ovulation. Follicle-sti- lack of ovulation alters S
PCOS is a problem with mulating hormone (FSH) levels of estrogen, pro- S

hormones that affects and luteinizing hormone gesterone, FSH, and LH.
women during their child- (LH) control ovulation. Estrogen and progesterone 2

bearing years (ages 15 to FSH stimulates the ovary levels are lower than usu- 0
44). Between 2.2 and 26.7 to produce a follicle — a al, while androgen levels 2
percent of women in this sac that contains an egg — are higher than usual. 0

age group have PCOS (1, and then LH triggers the Extra male hormones dis-
2Trusted Source). ovary to release a mature rupt the menstrual cycle,

Many women have PCOS egg. so women with PCOS get
but don’t know it. In one PCOS is a “syndrome,” or fewer periods than usual.
study, up to 70 percent of group of symptoms that PCOS isn’t a new conditi-

women with PCOS hadn’t affects the ovaries and on. Italian physician Anto-
been diagnosed (2Trusted ovulation. Its three main nio Vallisneri first descri-

Source). features are: bed its symptoms in 1721
• cysts in the ovaries (3Trusted Source).
PCOS affects a woman’s • high levels of male

ovaries, the reproductive hormones Doctors don’t know exac-
organs that produce estro- • irregular or skipped tly what causes PCOS.

gen and progesterone — periods They believe that high
hormones that regulate the levels of male hormones
menstrual cycle. The ova- In PCOS, many small, prevent the ovaries from

34