IN PHOTOS: Celebrities who were diagnosed with PCOS
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Women go through many challenging things in their life, from puberty to motherhood and juggling responsibilities at home and at work.
Additionally, many women also suffer from certain medical conditions that can be great hurdles in their productivity and overall quality of life.
One of these is polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, which many of us are slowly becoming aware of.
You may have recently heard of a friend, co-worker or family member being diagnosed with PCOS. But what is it really?
PCOS is a condition where a woman has high levels of male hormones, which prevents the ovaries from producing hormones and creating eggs normally.
The lack of ovulation or monthly release of an egg from the ovary then causes infertility in women with PCOS.
According to 'Pinoy MD' resident OB-GYN, Dr. Raul M. Quillamor, the three telltale signs that a woman has PCOS: irregular periods, polycystic ovaries, and excess androgen.
If you have at least two of these, you probably may have PCOS.
Moreover, Dr. Quillamor said that abnormal uterine bleeding could also be another sign that you may have PCOS.
It can either be that you have heavy or light bleeding, or it can alternate between the two.
The high levels of androgens--specifically estrogen--and low levels of progesterone is the culprit for heavy bleeding.
This leads to the thickening of the uterus lining called endometrium and can potentially up the chances of the women to have a miscarriage, since it can make the implantation of the embryo difficult.
And even when women with PCOS get pregnant, there could still be challenges ahead, because they are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and other complications.
It is truly difficult to through PCOS, especially for women who wish to have children.
But the good news is, it's not an insurmountable mountain.
If you or someone you know are going through this challenging journey, you can take inspiration from Filipino celebrities who were also diagnosed with PCOS in the gallery below.
