Your Non-Hormonal Options for Birth Control
Are you having unwanted side effects from hormonal birth control methods? Learn more about the available contraceptive methods that are both effective and hormone-free.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects adolescent girls and adult women during their childbearing years. While the root cause of PCOS isn’t well understood by the medical community, the condition can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and other disruptive symptoms.
At Alpha OB GYN, our staff has extensive experience helping women and girls manage their PCOS symptoms. Sowmya Reddy, MD, FACOG, provides advanced testing services to accurately diagnose the condition and customizes a care plan to prevent complications.
Because PCOS is complex, we also provide educational services to help you better understand the condition.
PCOS develops when you have excessive amounts of androgen, a male sex hormone that women’s ovaries and adrenal glands also produce.
Too much androgen causes fluid-filled cysts to form on the ovaries. The cysts contain immature eggs called follicles that your ovaries can’t release. Excess androgen hormones and the growth of cysts can cause symptoms like:
PCOS is a condition often misdiagnosed and women don’t get the support they need to properly manage their symptoms.
Dr. Reddy and our team specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of PCOS, so you can prevent uncomfortable symptoms and difficulties getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy.
In addition to being misdiagnosed, PCOS is also a misunderstood gynecological condition. Here are four facts about PCOS that you may not know.
While the underlying cause of PCOS isn’t clear, research suggests that most cases are genetically triggered. If a mother has PCOS, there’s a 50% chance her daughter will also develop the condition.
PCOS can be a catalyst for depression in many women. Depressive episodes can be triggered by the physical changes PCOS can cause in the body, such as male-pattern baldness, facial hair, and severe acne.
Women with PCOS can be at higher risk for developing insulin resistance. This means your body can’t use the insulin hormone efficiently to control your blood sugar levels. You may be at increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other insulin-related health complications.
Women with PCOS may experience infertility and an increased risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy.
Because of the influence PCOS has on the use of insulin, women with the condition may also be at increased risk for developing gestational diabetes.
The stress of living with PCOS can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t receive a prompt and accurate diagnosis.
Dr. Reddy and our Alpha OB GYN staff take a compassionate, integrative approach to managing your PCOS complications so you don’t have to navigate the journey alone.
While there’s currently no cure for PCOS, Dr. Reddy tailors a treatment plan to relieve the worst of your symptoms and prevent complications like infertility. She can prescribe medications and recommend diet and lifestyle changes.
We also ensure you have the support you need to cope with the impact PCOS has on your life. Talking with others who have PCOS can help you feel less alone.
Call the Alpha OB GYN office in Alpharetta or Cumming, Georgia, to schedule a PCOS evaluation or book a consultation online today.
