ARE WE ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR DAUGHTER’S PROSPECTIVE HEALTH?? – FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!

“Look for me I’m there you’ll feel my presence everywhere.”

Synonymous to these lines, PCOS IS EMERGING AS A SILENT EPIDEMIC WITH 1 IN 10 GIRLS VISITING GYNEC OPD’S complaining of the same on a daily base. The symptoms include irregular periods, acne, hirsutism and obesity leading to infertility in reproductive age group and diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and endometrial cancer later in life.

IS IT PREVENTABLE? AS PARENTS ARE WE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR IT??

PCOS can be caused genetically or due to sedentary life style leading to obesity. Lifestyle changes can reverse PCO to a certain extent. Genetically manifested PCOS is difficult to treat.

HOW DID MY LITTLE ONE END UP HAVING PCO??

The fact that the unborn child could have PCO later on in life is decided in the mother’s womb itself is disheartening. Pregnant mothers being obese or encountering diabetes during pregnancy or exposed to androgens while carrying, can have effect on the genes of the foetus which may manifest as PCO later in life.

During childhood babies are generally overfed to look chubby and healthy. Sometimes the puppy fat stays on and leads to childhood obesity which in turn can cause irregular periods. Also sedentary lifestyle during young with books and gadgets can cause obesity and PCO.

ARE ALL IRREGULAR PERIODS PCOS IN TEENAGERS??

Teens generally have irregular periods for a couple of years after puberty. If the periods are irregular after 2 years from menarche or the cycle length is greater than 90 days even during the first year of puberty, the girl might need investigations.

Not all irregular periods are PCO. There are quite a few endocrine problems which might cause irregular periods. Many a time anorexia nervosa (fear of being overweight and this doesn’t eat well) common in teenagers can cause irregular periods.

MY CHILD’S ULTRASOUND SHOWS PCOS, DOES SHE REALLY HAVE PCOS??

It is physiological for your girl’s ovaries to look like a polycystic one in scan during adolescent period. Studies reveal that POCO with ultrasound findings should not be diagnosed until 8 years after puberty due to the fact that adolescent ovaries mimic PCO pattern for a very long time. Hence let’s not conclude prematurely that your child has PCOS and start her on medications.