PCOS

In most cases, your healthcare provider can diagnose PCOS after an examination. They may order blood tests or perform an ultrasound to help with the diagnosis.

Your healthcare provider will:

Talk to you about your symptoms and medical history.

Ask about your family’s medical history.

Take your weight and blood pressure.

Perform a physical exam, looking specifically for excess facial hair, hair loss, acne, discolored skin and skin tags.

Perform a pelvic exam to look for swollen ovaries or other growths in your uterus.

Order blood tests to check hormone levels and glucose levels.

Perform a pelvic ultrasound to look for cysts in your ovaries and check the thickness of the lining of your uterus.

Typically, you are be diagnosed with PCOS if you have at least two of the following:

Irregular or missed periods. Some people with PCOS have very heavy bleeding when they do have a period.

Signs of excess androgen such as acne or excessive hair growth. Or, a blood test confirming excess androgen levels.

Cysts on one or both ovaries. Many people don’t develop cysts.

Your healthcare provider will determine treatment based on your symptoms, medical history and other health conditions, and if you want to get pregnant. Treatments can include medications, lifestyle changes or a combination of both.

If you do not plan to become pregnant, treatments include:

Hormonal birth control: Options include birth control pills, patches, shots, a vaginal ring or an intrauterine device (IUD). Hormonal birth control helps to regulate your menstrual cycle, improve acne and help with excess hair growth.

Insulin-sensitizing medicine: Metformin is a drug used to treat diabetes. It works by helping your body process insulin. Once insulin is controlled, some people with PCOS see improvements in their menstrual cycles.

Medications to block androgens: Some drugs can block the effect of androgens. This helps control acne or hair growth caused by PCOS. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether they're right for you.

Lifestyle changes: Losing weight and eating a healthy diet can have a positive effect on insulin levels.

If you want to become pregnant now or in the future, treatment for PCOS includes:

Drugs to induce ovulation (releasing an egg): A successful pregnancy begins with ovulation. Certain drugs have been proven to induce ovulation in women with PCOS. The medications clomiphene and letrozole are taken orally, while gonadotropins are given by injection.

Surgery: A surgical procedure called ovarian drilling can trigger ovulation by removing tissues in the ovaries that are producing androgen hormones. With newer medications available, surgeons now rarely perform this procedure.

In vitro fertilization (IVF): Your egg is fertilized with your partner's sperm in a lab and then transferred to your uterus. This is an option for women with PCOS when medication doesn't help with ovulation.