Dr. Sheetal Agarwal

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. Polycystic means “many cysts,” and PCOS often causes clusters of small, pearl-sized cysts in the ovaries. The cysts are fluid-filled and contain immature eggs. PCOS affects one in 4 women.

What are the causes behind it?
While the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, doctors believe that hormonal imbalances and genetics play a role. Women are more likely to develop PCOS if their mother or sister also has the condition.
Overproduction of the hormone androgen may be another contributing factor. Androgen is a male sex hormone that women’s bodies also produce. 

PCOS Symptoms
PCOS is a syndrome disease defined by a collection of signs and symptoms. The symptoms of PCOS that one patient experiences can be very different from the symptoms of another patient. If you have two or more of the following symptoms, you need to have a thorough checkup to determine if you need PCOS treatment:

• Irregular or missing menstrual periods
• Infertility
• Excess or unwanted body or facial hair growth
• Thinning hair on the scalp
• Weight problems, often including weight gain around the waist
• Skin problems, including skin tags, darkening skin and acne

Does PCOS increase weight?
The answer is a ‘YES’. Most PCOS patients are overweight and are asked to exercise which helps control the symptoms but a lot many people have a completely normal body type.

What are the risks associated with PCOS-related weight gain?
No matter what the cause, weight gain can be detrimental to your health. Women with PCOS are more likely to develop many of the problems associated with weight gain and insulin resistance, including:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Sleep apnea
• Infertility
• Endometrial cancer

Many of these conditions can lead to heart disease. In fact, women with PCOS are four to seven times more likely to have a heart attack than women of the same age without the condition.

Benefit of Weight Loss with PCOS

Modest weight loss will not cure PCOS, but it will help. Weight loss can restore the normal function of the ovaries and result in normal hormone production. This may, in turn, lead to improvements in symptoms of PCOS, such as excess hair growth, acne or scalp hair loss.

Protect Yourself From Weight Gain

• Eat Right: A healthy diet low in complex carbohydrates, moderate protein and low fat is important, as this can help regulate blood sugar levels. 
• Exercise: Start doing low-to-moderate activities like walking or swimming for 30-to-90 minutes per day because exercise (even without weight loss) has been shown to lower or get rid of insulin resistance.
• Lose Weight: The more overweight you are the more likely you are to be insulin resistant whether you have PCOS or not. Losing just 5% of your bodyweight will help lower your insulin resistance.
• Avoid Stress: Don’t over stress yourself as it increases the blood pressure level in your body and can’t help to resist with PCOS. So, try to stay as calm as possible.
• Get more sleep (at least 7-to-9 hours in a day): Not getting enough sleep can also make your insulin resistance worse, which in turn acquires you the weight.

DIET:

• Cereals: Barley, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, muesli, bran flakes, whole wheat porridge, brown rice, multigrain bread
• Pulses: Yellow moong, green moong, chana dal, beans, whole pulses
• Dairy products: Skimmed or toned milk, soy milk, tofu, paneer, yogurt
• Fruits: Berries, plums, peaches, oranges, papaya, pears, watermelons, apples
• Nuts: Walnut, almonds, flaxseeds
• Vegetables: Carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions, cauliflower, celery, spinach

Giving birth is a life-changing event for every mother and it leaves an everlasting impression in your life. Every delivery is unique and you can just gain from the experience of others, but don’t expect it to be the same. 
You will experience many changes in your body and will learn to take care of yourself and your growing baby as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Pain is a part of labour that every woman has to undergo. It is the fear of labour pain that make many pregnant women opt for c-section. However there is no denying the fact that c-section is a major surgery and requires several days to recover.

Keep in mind the following tips to go in for a normal delivery:

1. Try to get prenatal education, which guides you about labour, birth and natural labour pain management techniques, such as breathing, self-hypnosis, relaxation and other coping mechanisms. You should check with your hospital too as most of them offer an evening or weekend course.
2. Pick a gynaecologist who has a history in delivering babies naturally.
3. Keep yourself physically active by doing mild exercises throughout pregnancy.
4. You should keep a calm environment in your labour room.
5. Don’t gain too much weight as women who aren't overweight do not have much difficulty in delivering babies vaginally.
6. Opt for fewer rather as more tests, treatments and interventions during your pregnancy tend to interfere with normal birth. Whenever tests or procedures are recommended, you should ask about the need of undergoing such tests.
7. Continue with your walks as it helps in relieving the pain.
8. Go in for a water therapy. A shower, bathtub, birthing pool and hot compresses are other tools for easing pain and helping you relax. Spend as much time as possible in water.
9. Use various positions such as sitting on the toilet, kneeling, and squatting to ease vaginal delivery.
10. Massage/back rubs equally help in easing the pain.
11. You can also go in for Effleurage which is a light massage of the abdomen to ease your vaginal delivery.
12. Apply warm or cold compresses.
13. Avoid hearing negative stories about labour.
14. Eat a healthy balanced diet as the health and development of your baby depends on your nutrition.
15. Stay away from stress and anxiety. Read good books about parenting and be in the company of good lively people.
16. Use relaxation/breathing techniques to keep yourself calm.
17. Guided meditation and prayers undoubtedly will reinforce your faith in yourself to deliver a baby vaginally.
18. Have adequate sleep. Avoid drinking tea or coffee two hours before going to bed in order to have uninterrupted sleep.

Following these tips religiously can definitely increase your chances of having a normal delivery.

What is Prenatal care?

It is crucial for a woman who is on her way to becoming a mother to pay special attention to her health. Health care offered to a pregnant woman is also known as prenatal care or antenatal care. It is a very important phase in a woman's life, so go for regular prenatal checkups as they go a long way in reducing risks of complications during pregnancy and child birth. This, in turn, increases the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.
Contrary to popular belief, prenatal care does not begin when a woman is told that she is pregnant. Prenatal care should ideally be started at least three months before you try to conceive a child. This prepares your body and mind for the changes that pregnancy will bring. Some healthy habits to follow during this period include:

• Quit Drinking alcohol and smoking
• Consult a gynecologist about any existing medical conditions, medication you may be on and what supplements you should start taking
• Avoid contact with chemicals and toxic substances

Once your pregnancy is confirmed, you will need to visit the doctor regularly for checkups.

Prenatal checkups are meant to keep an eye on your health and the health of your baby. In most cases, you will be asked to come in every month for the first two trimesters and every two weeks during the seventh and eighth month of your pregnancy. During the ninth month, your doctor may want to see you once a week until the delivery. In cases where a pregnancy is considered high risk because of existing medical conditions, the age of the mother or any other factors, the doctor may ask a for more frequent checkups.

A prenatal checkup involves a physical examination, tests, screenings and dietary consultations. Some of the common tests include blood tests to check for HIV, the mother’s blood type and anemia. Your blood pressure will also be monitored. When it comes to the baby’s health, determining the rate at which the baby is growing and heart rate are most important. In the later stages of your pregnancy, the position of the baby will also be noted. It is important to not skip these checkups even if you are feeling fine.

Keep your doctor informed about any changes you may notice in your health. Do not take any medication without consulting your doctor even if it is for something as simple as a cold. Do not feel shy about talking to your doctor and ask him or her anything you would like to about your pregnancy and childbirth.