A common problem affecting many women with Type 2 diabetes is a condition known as PCOS, This is a classic female infertility problem in the general population also… many women suffer from this condition these days.

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This condition can cause a whole host of symptoms but most commonly is associated with infertility. Often women have no idea they have this condition until they try to get pregnant and can’t.

Thankfully, there are lifestyle modifications and even medications to help women with this condition get pregnant in many cases. However, some women do not respond well to medication treatment and may need to make lifestyle modifications in order to get down to a healthy weight and have their body allow a pregnancy.

There are various symptoms associated with PCOS including:

• abnormal hair growth,
• irregular periods, and
• weight gain.

The irregular periods can come in the form of periods that are too heavy, too often or not often enough. What happens in PCOS is your body secretes far too much androgen, the male hormone, which counteracts your ovaries ability to make enough progesterone necessary for a normal cycle. These androgens also cause women to have irregular hair growth. Some women start to grow hair on their chin, and even on their abdomen.

Acne can be another symptom of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Many women, again due to excess androgen, experience acne… no matter what their age. In addition, painful periods can be another symptom.

In order for a doctor to accurately diagnose Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, it may take a while. There is no one test that points directly to PCOS. Most of the time, the doctor will look at the symptoms as a whole and see if they fit within the guidelines for PCOS. In addition, he may run blood tests to take a look at insulin levels which are strongly associated with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. He may also check your cholesterol levels as women with PCOS typically have high levels.

Finally, your doctor may do an ultrasound to see if your ovaries have the appearance of a string of pearls. The little cysts that form on the ovaries in this disease, often show up like a string of pearls on the ultrasound. Your doctor may even want to do an exploratory laparoscopy to see if your ovaries are in good condition.

You might want to seek the assistance of a reproductive endocrinologist if you are trying to get pregnant and suspect you have PCOS. There is much that can be done today for women with this condition. It is important to get it under control so it doesn’t cause you to have problems later with prediabetes or full-blown Type 2 diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, before going on any fertility drugs check with your diabetes specialist as estrogen can raise your blood sugar.

Source by Beverleigh H Piepers