00:08Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal condition that affects how a woman's ovaries
00:14function. While it is quite common, many women may not even realize they have it.
00:19Dr. Shirin Kalu, an OBGYN at St. Augustine Private Hospital explains that symptoms can
00:25vary widely, one reason the condition is often overlooked. Irregular periods are usually the
00:31first unnoticeable sign. A woman should rarely be having a period monthly, so you should be having
00:38a period 12 times for the year. So if you're saying if you have it five or six times for
00:43the year,
00:44then yes, it is a red flag and you should have it checked to know if there's a problem. A
00:51lot of
00:51the symptoms with polycystic ovaries are related to the high testosterone levels in the patients
00:56who have the insulin resistance. So you get things like acne, facial hair, weight gain, oily skin,
01:05hair loss, and then the estrogen going a little bit off will cause irregular periods.
01:11Dr. Kalu also addresses a common misconception that PCOS only affects overweight women.
01:18Not all patients will have overweight or obesity with polycystic ovaries. So that's a myth. When we
01:25talk about everybody with polycystic is obese, no. We do have those patients with polycystic ovaries
01:33who are actually quite slim, small, and they have other symptoms.
01:38And the four women trying to conceive, she offers reassurance.
01:41It is not impossible to get pregnant. We do have patients who have polycystic and get pregnant.
01:47The risk of miscarriages become higher. So we prefer to have polycystic under control
01:53if you have it and you get pregnant. But it is certainly not impossible. It's not the end of the
02:00world. She says a balanced diet, regular physical activities, and maintaining a healthy weight can
02:06improve hormonal balance and metabolic health. You cut off your fried foods, you cut off your sweets,
02:12carbohydrates. You cut down on the carbohydrates. So the rice, roti, pasta, potato, bread, things
02:18like that. You're not, we're not saying don't have it, but your portion should be smaller. So a smaller
02:24portion of that and you do more of the vegetables, the beans, the salads, the fish. And I will say
02:32also if you're doing the chicken, which we're not saying not to do, but if you're doing the chicken,
02:37you do more of the breast. The exercise is the other part of the healthy lifestyle changes we're
02:42looking for, for management of polycystic ovaries. And just those two things make a huge difference
02:49to your period.
02:51Dr. Carlo emphasized that PCOS is not a life sentence. With proper understanding and regular
02:57checkups, women with the condition can lead healthy, confident, and fulfilling lives.
03:01I am Charlotte Kisto with tonight's Health Watch.
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