
24/07/2025
UNDERSTANDING PCOS AND PCO: WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW (AND SHOULD)
Polycystic O***y Syndrome (PCOS) is NOT just a “woman’s hormonal problem”. It is a complex metabolic, endocrine, and reproductive disorder that silently affects millions of women across the globe. While its name points to the ovaries, PCOS is NOT solely a gynecological issue. At its core, it is a multi-system condition driven by insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and hormonal imbalances, particularly involving excess androgens (male hormones like testosterone).
PCO, or polycystic ovaries, on the other hand, refers to the presence of multiple immature follicles in the ovaries, which can occur without the full clinical picture of PCOS.
Most women remain unaware of their condition until they struggle with infertility, irregular periods, facial hair, acne, weight gain, or unexplained fatigue. The common misconception is that PCOS is a purely reproductive disorder or that it only affects overweight women. This is FALSE. Lean women can have PCOS, and some women with polycystic ovaries may NOT have PCOS at all.
Therefore, diagnosis is based on a triad:
- Irregular ovulation or menstruation,
- hyperandrogenism (clinical or biochemical), and
- polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. You only need two out of three to be diagnosed (we call it the Rotterdam Criteria).
The deeper danger of PCOS lies in its long-term consequences. If unmanaged, it can increase the risk of Type II Diabetes, -(in fact it's even diabetes in disguise), cardiovascular diseases, endometrial cancer, and metabolic syndrome. Conventional treatment often focuses on birth control pills to regulate periods, metformin to reduce insulin resistance, or ovulation-stimulating drugs for fertility. However, these don’t address the ROOT cause and often come with side effects.
NATUROPATHIC INSIGHT: HOLISTIC HEALING BEYOND PILLS
From a naturopathic standpoint, PCOS is seen as a manifestation of internal imbalance, often stemming from insulin resistance, chronic stress, exposure to endocrine disruptors (plastics, xenoestrogens), poor liver detox, and inflammatory foods. The approach focuses on reversing insulin resistance, restoring ovulation, balancing hormones naturally, and supporting the liver and gut, the core of hormonal health.
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With proper understanding and approach, there's a good outcome. This focuses on diet and lifestyle as well as the environment.
Lifestyle upgrades such as prioritizing sleep, reducing screen time, and engaging in daily movement (like brisk walking, yoga, or resistance training) improves insulin sensitivity and ovarian function. Stress management through mindfulness, prayer, deep breathing, or journaling is NON-negotiable.
Detoxification and gut health standardization or repair is NON-negotiable A sluggish liver or leaky gut can worsen estrogen dominance and hormone recycling or metabolism.
LOOKING BEYOND THE CYSTS.
What many people fail to realize is that PCOS is NOT always accompanied by ovarian cysts. In fact, some women diagnosed with PCOS may NEVER develop any cysts at all. This is why diagnosis should NOT rely solely on ultrasound findings. On the other hand, having Polycystic Ovaries (PCO) seen during a routine scan does NOT automatically mean a woman has PCOS. PCO can be an incidental finding, completely normal in some cases, and may occur without any hormonal imbalance or metabolic disturbance as a part of normal menstrual or hormonal functions. Just as I once told us that "fluids present in the Pouch of Douglas/Cul-de-Sac/Recto-Uterine Pouch/Fossa Douglassi does NOT always mean you have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(PID) it could be normal depending on clinical correlations.
Beyond the well-known signs like irregular periods or infertility , PCOS often hides in plain sight through subtle or misunderstood symptoms. These include anxiety , depression , poor sleep quality, and the appearance of DARK velvety patches on the neck or underarms, known as acanthosis nigricans. Many women with PCOS also experience central obesity, especially around the midsection, even when they follow a seemingly “normal” diet. These signs are often DISMISSED as results of “STRESS” or “just getting FAT,” leading to years of being undiagnosed.
One major reason PCOS goes unnoticed or improperly managed is the habit of prescribing birth control pills or synthetic hormones without addressing the ROOT cause. While these drugs may provide temporary relief from symptoms like irregular menstruation , they rarely solve the underlying problem. Women are left cycling through medication after medication without ever truly understanding what is happening inside their bodies . This quick-fix approach overlooks the COMPLEX metabolic and hormonal web at the heart of PCOS.
Until PCOS is seen as a full-body issue, NOT just a reproductive one and symptoms are interpreted with deeper insight , many women will continue to suffer in silence. Proper diagnosis and care begin with awareness, and no symptom should be brushed off as “normal hormonal Wàhálà.” Women deserve more than surface-level solutions; they deserve clarity, compassion , and ROOT-LEVEL care.
THE PCOS–FERTILITY CONNECTION: HOPE IS REAL
Contrary to popular fear, PCOS does NOT equal permanent infertility. Once the root causes are addressed, ovulation often resumes naturally. With a strict two-month protocol involving dietary discipline, high-quality supplements, and stress management, many women have NOT only reversed symptoms but conceived naturally, even after years of struggle.
Interestingly, some cases labeled “infertility” are simply “inflammation + insulin resistance” in disguise. This is why a combined naturopathic-medical approach is powerful. Monitoring with medical lab. tests (FSH, LH, fasting insulin, testosterone, AMH, thyroid panel) alongside lifestyle interventions yields lasting results.
BOTTOM LINE
PCOS is NOT a curse or a life sentence, BUT a wake-up call. A woman’s period is her monthly report card from the body, and irregularity is NEVER “normal.” Whether you’re overweight or slim, on birth control or NOT, you deserve answers and sustainable solutions. With intentional nutrition, informed decisions in care, and a supportive environment, PCOS can be reversed; and motherhood, restored.
IMAGE CREDIT :
A transvaginal 2D ultrasound scan was performed on a patient with PCOS using a 7.5 MHz probe. The antral follicles were counted and measured across two distinct spatial planes in the image.
Source: ResearchGate
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***ySyndrome