How can women with PCOS lose weight?

• Women with PCOS can lose diet by regulating their and exercising correctly.
• They should eat a low carbohydrate diet and choose foods with a low glycaemic index.
• A fibre diet is good for weight loss too, because it keeps one full.
• A high protein diet containing foods like eggs, nuts etc is also good for weight loss.
• Healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, coconut oil are also good for patients with PCOS.
• The importance of Limiting processed foods and refined sugars cannot be emphasised more for PCOS.
• Exercising regularly in the form of cardio workouts and weight bearing exercises, helps in losing weight.

Causes of PCOS
The underlying science behind PCOS is Insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which breaks down sugars. In people with PCOS, the cells of ones body become resistant to insulin. Therefore, the blood sugar levels rise, excess insulin is produced which in turn leads to excess of androgens or male hormones and difficulty in ovulation.

After delivery , you may think that you are ready to jump back into a normal life, but you need to understand that this is a transition phase in your life which will require a lot of adjustments. You now  will accommodate a new member in your family, will have to adjust your sleep pattern, will need to  get plenty of rest to recover. You need  to eat healthy and stay hydrated, you need to stay calm and learn the first prerequisite of good  parenting – that is being patient. Not surprisingly , most obstetricians would recommend a new mom to wait for 6-12 weeks before resuming work as this is the time required for a woman to recover physically and mentally after her journey of pregnancy and childbirth.

Most women also feel comfortable after 6 weeks as by then the post partum bleeding almost stops and the stitches heal too. This holds good irrespective of the mode of delivery that is normal or caesarean.

2. What are the  effects of resuming work early and how does it affect the mental health of a woman?

Returning to work too early can cause extreme fatigue and exhaustion in a new mother. Exhaustion happens due to sleep deprivation and of course because of the entire labor and birthing process. Early return to work could make this worse. It could therefore ,also increase the risk of post partum depression. It can cause problems in bonding with the baby. It could also lead to difficulty in establishing exclusive breastfeeding and it’s often seen that such women very soon end up in starting artificial or formula feeds.

3. Why does post partum recovery vary from person to person?

A woman’s post partum recovery depends on her physical and emotional health during pregnancy. If she’s had a balanced diet and exercised well during pregnancy, had a low risk pregnancy with no or minimal complications her recovery would be faster.

4. What are the precautions to be taken in case work has to be resumed early?

First and foremost , in case you have to get back to work early, talk to your doctor and let her assess your readiness for the same.

In case your employer allows a part time return to work or a part time work from home, go for this option as this will give you more time to settle down with your angel and to be able to adjust your sleep pattern or rather settle down as a working mom.

Ask for help from your family in case you decide to get back to work early.

What is a miscarriage ?
Losing a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy is called a miscarriage .
Early miscarriage is in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and this is more common .

What is recurrent miscarriage ?
When a miscarriage happens three or more times in a row , it is called as a recurrent miscarriage .

Why do recurrent miscarriages happen ?
– genetic factors
-antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and thrombophilias
-immunological factors
– infections
-uterine abnormalities
-endocrinological problems like thyroid disease and gestational diabetes
-infections
– obesity , smoking and alcohol

What investigations are required ?
Karyotyping for genetic causes
Antiphospholipid antibody tests and thrombophilia screen
Test for infections – blood and vaginal samples
Blood sugars and thyroid hormone tests
Pelvic ultrasound / laparoscopy / hysteroscopy

What are the treatment options ?
Low dose aspirin and heparin for antiphospholipid ab syndrome and for thrombophilias
Genetic counselling
Surgery for uterine abnormalities
Correction of diabetes and thyroid disease
Hormone therapy in the form of progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin
Immunotherapy

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
It could cause pelvic or lower abdominal pain , pain during intercourse , pain before and during periods , pain during bowel or bladder movement and difficulty in conceiving .

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED ?
Signs , symptoms and physical examination findings will help in diagnosis . Ultrasound scan also helps in diagnosis .

TREATMENT  OPTIONS:-
Hormone treatment in the form of combined oral contraceptive pills  or intrauterine device like Mirena are effective options . Progestogen pills and injections are also often used . GNRH analogies are also used where needed.

Surgical treatment like removal of endometriotic ovarian cysts  , adhesiolysis are available and can be done laparoscopically or by open surgery .