New Treatments for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Offer new Hope for Millions
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects one in ten women of childbearing age. It can cause a range of problems including menstrual irregularity, infertility and acne, unwanted hair growth and obesity. Now there is new research and treatment protocols helping women with PCOS lead healthier lives and achieve healthy pregnancies.
Norwalk, CT (PRWEB) April 21, 2005
For one in ten women of childbearing age, the diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can mean a lifetime of health problems from menstrual irregularity, infertility, and acne, to unwanted hair growth to obesity, cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of certain cancers. But research on several new treatment protocols is beginning to confirm that women with PCOS can live healthier lives, and even achieve healthy pregnancies.
Researchers now believe they have isolated an insulin imbalance in the bloodstream of many women with PCOS, which causes the overproduction of male hormones (androgens) like testosterone. This imbalance may be the actual trigger for the many symptoms associated with PCOS. This finding has led to several promising new approaches -- including drug therapies, high-tech infertility treatments and even commonsense health and wellness strategies.
“We know that normal ovulation requires the perfect synchronization of hormones in the body,” Dr. Leondires explains. “PCOS causes shifts in hormone levels, rendering normal ovulation unlikely.” The lack of ovulation is largely to blame for the infertility aspect of PCOS, while the hormone imbalance is responsible for the associated symptoms of unwanted hair growth and acne.
Yet, researchers believe that administering a combination of medications commonly used to treat individual conditions may yield promising results in PCOS patients. A study in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (December, 2004) has already found Metformin, and insulin sensitizer, to be a promising standalone treatment for PCOS. The researchers reported that 28% of the 41 women treated with Metformin achieved pregnancy within 6 months, while an even greater percentage achieved improved ovulation rates, better menstrual cyclicity, higher HDL cholesterol levels, lower overall cholesterol levels and a reduction in Body Mass Index (BMI).
Another highly-successful approach to PCOS treatment is also surprisingly “low-tech.” It focuses on adopting diet and exercise regimens to achieve a healthy weight, which doctors believe helps to regulate insulin levels and prevent the cardiovascular problems sometimes associated with PCOS. “There is clinical evidence, too, that excess body fat can be correlated with hormonal imbalances and ovarian malfunction, two key symptoms of PCOS,” Dr. Leondires notes. “What’s more, good health is the best way to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, no matter how that pregnancy is achieved,” he says.
If you suspect you may have PCOS and wish to become pregnant, Dr. Leondires advises a visit to a reproductive medicine specialist. “The difficulty with PCOS is that it is a syndrome, encompassing a wide range of symptoms and problems, many of which mimic other diseases and disorders,” explains Dr. Leondires. “Reproductive Endocrine specialists are trained to provide gynecological and obstetrics care, but we also have an additional expertise in the workings of the endocrine system – where disorders such as PCOS start,” he explains. Women with PCOS should know that there are effective treatments for their disease.
Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M. D., FACOG, is a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) in Norwalk. Along with numerous teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as well as abstracts and book chapters. More information about Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www. rmact. com.
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