PCOS and diabetes risk increases with obesity – here's how they affect fertility in women

Anti-obesity Day is observed on 26 November to spread awareness about obesity. It is a condition where abnormal or excessive body fat has accumulated in the body and is affecting health negatively. As per a global report the number of adults (18 years and older) who are obese grew from 25.2 million in 2012 to 34.3 million in 2016, growing from 3.1 percent to 3.9 percent. Showing that the prevalence of obesity in India is increasing faster than the world average.

With the recent lockdown and lifestyle changes due to the pandemic these numbers have been pushed further. Obesity can have extreme negative effects on the body and can increase the risk of conditions like diabetes and PCOS especially in women of reproductive age.

Obesity is affecting people the world over; it is becoming a greater challenge for women who could be prone to PCOS and/or diabetes. As per research by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), one in four women suffers from PCOS and over one in 10 women between the age group of 35 to 49 suffer from diabetes (the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders). Incidentally, women with PCOS have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Both PCOS and obesity are identified as major risk factors causing type 2 diabetes in women. Since obesity can catalyse both diabetes and PCOS let’s address these conditions closely.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine or hormonal disorder among women of childbearing age. This condition causes dysfunction of endocrine glands which increases the production of male hormones (androgen) leading to hormonal imbalance. PCOS causes follicles with immature eggs to form cysts which begin to grow inside the ovaries and not mature. Failure to produce mature eggs can impact ovulation giving birth to problems like infertility. PCOS has proven to cause ill effects on female body such as fertility issues, infrequent or prolonged periods, weight gain, excess body hair growth and acne.

With lifestyle changes and additional stressors due to the pandemic, India has seen a spike in PCOS cases. While this condition is becoming common among women, its symptoms can be managed through proper medical treatments and making healthy lifestyle choices such as maintaining a balanced diet and exercising regularly.

Part of the IVF procedure in progress. Image credit: AP

Link between obesity and PCOS, diabetes

Women who are obese are known to be at a greater risk of developing diabetes and PCOS; the hormonal imbalance due to PCOS and obesity can create insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia in the body which is a known factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Low physical activity, along with poor diet and a stressful life for women with PCOS can cause obesity and increased hormonal dysfunction leading to diabetes. It is important for women to maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and exercise, this will keep their hormones in check and diabetes at bay.

PCOS and diabetes affects fertility in women

PCOS is a disorder in which the reproductive system of a female fails to function properly. According to some estimates, about 70 percent of the female fertility issues can be traced to PCOS directly or indirectly. In PCOS, small fluid-filled sacs develop on the ovaries and can form cysts. It can cause reduced egg quality and infrequent ovulation in the body leading to low chances of getting pregnant.

Diabetes, on the other hand, can lead to lower rates of fertility in women by delaying the onset of menses (or menarche). This can lead to high sugar causing rapid and early ovarian ageing as evidenced by pre-mature menopause. Diabetes is associated with menstrual abnormalities, especially in the childbearing age. The levels of blood glucose is directly proportional to the risk of delayed periods or oligomenorrhea. Thus, diabetes can lead to shortened reproductive lifespan in females while also affecting the biological clock.

Representational image.

Prevention and care

Women aiming to prevent or currently suffering from obesity, diabetes and/or PCOS can adopt healthy lifestyle practices avoiding ill effects in the longer run. Regular exercising would help in combating obesity, burn off excess sugar and aid in reducing resistance to insulin in the body. A well-balanced nutritious diet containing proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and proper hydration is imperative to keep the mind and body fit. Adequate sleep is also important in regulating hormones and alleviating stress.

It is also advised to consult your doctor for diagnosis, treatment and nutrition plan, especially if one is planning to conceive a child. These lifestyle changes can play a key role in curbing hormonal imbalances in the body, keeping the body fit and reducing the risk of diabetes and/or PCOS.

The author is the CEO and IVF and infertility specialist of Indira IVF.



from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3fOyJNr

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elon Musk’s bid spotlights Twitter’s unique role in public discourse – and what changes might be in store

Twitter has been in the news a lot lately, albeit for the wrong reasons. Its stock growth has languished and the platform itself has largely remained the same since its founding in 2006. On April 14, 2022, Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, made an offer to buy Twitter and take the public company private. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission , Musk stated, “I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy.” As a researcher of social media platforms , I find that Musk’s potential ownership of Twitter and his stated reasons for buying the company raise important issues. Those issues stem from the nature of the social media platform and what sets it apart from others. What makes Twitter unique Twitter occupies a unique niche. Its short chunks of text and threading foster real-time conversations among thousands of people, which
Read more

To reach net-zero emissions and remove CO2 from the air, scientists drawn up six priorities

Image
To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, global emissions must be cut faster and deeper than the world has yet managed. But even then, some hard-to-treat sources of pollution – in aviation, agriculture and cement making – may linger for longer than we would like. It will take time for clean alternatives to arrive and replace them. That means the world also needs to find and ramp up ways of taking CO₂ out of the atmosphere to stabilise the climate. Just meeting the UK’s net-zero target is likely to require the removal of 100 million tonnes of CO₂ a year , similar in size to current emissions from the country’s largest-emitting sector, road transport, but in reverse. The UK government’s announcement of £31.5 million (US$44.7 million) in support for research and development of carbon removal is welcome. And while trials of new tech will help, there are many social issues that need to be tackled if removing greenhouse gases is to succeed. Done right, carbon removal could be the perfect a
Read more

NASA is planning to partner with SpaceX to reboost the Hubble Telescope and extend its life

Image
The Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most important scientific achievements of the human species that has helped us understand space. It has been in orbit for over 30 years and has been feeding some of the most vital streams of information that has not only helped us steer our space exploration efforts, but also solve some of the more deep mysteries of the universe . NASA would love to extend its usable life for as long as possible. Unfortunately, for some years now, Hubble Space Telescope has been slipping out of its orbit. That is why, NASA is planning to team up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and place it into a higher much more stable orbit. NASA, SpaceX and Jared Isaacman, a private astronaut with the Polaris Program, hosted a media teleconference on Thursday to announce a feasibility study that will look into sending a commercial Dragon spacecraft to reboost the Hubble Space Telescope . This will, in effect place the telescope into a higher and more stable orbit than it’s curren
Read more