The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Society, a multidisciplinary, national organisation dedicated to promoting knowledge, original clinical and basic research in every aspect of the PCOS disorder, has recently launched its India Chapter to work towards providing 360 degree care for women suffering from PCOS related issues.
PCOS is a very prevalent reproductive disorder in women. It leads to hormonal imbalance in the reproductive age group which affects the woman's ability to conceive, causes irregular periods and miscarriages, causes acne and facial hair growth due to relative increase of male hormone and is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in a large percentage of women.
Dr. Duru Shah, scientific director of gynaecworld and founder president the PCOS Society says, “The management of PCOS does not end with the treatment of acne or hirsutism or irregular periods or infertility, it goes much beyond that. We need to prevent metabolic syndrome, and it’s associated cardiac problems, cancer of the uterus, severe obesity etc. which commonly occur in PCOS women at an older age. It is extremely important to make a timely and correct diagnosis of PCOS when girls or women come to us with their symptoms, and convince them to have a regular follow up; by self-determination and self-discipline in their own life style, women themselves, can overcome this difficult situation, and live healthy lives”.
Dr. Anuja Dokras, president of the Androgen Excess & PCOS Society and Prof.of Obs/Gyn , University of Pennsylvania, USA says, “PCOS is the commonest endocrine disorder in young women. Societies focused on PCOS will help raise awareness, education and research specific to their region of the world. As president of the AE-PCOS Society it gives me great pleasure to participate in the launch of this society in India.”
Dr. Rekha Sheth, founder president, Cosmetology Society of India and vice president, the PCOS Society says, “We have been noting a drastic rise in the number of PCOS patients in our practice. Although the general prevalence of PCOS is supposed to be around 10 per cent, almost 6 to 7 out of 10 females who come to our clinic for any skin or hair problem happened to have PCOS as an underlying causative factor. In order to give our patients the best it is absolutely essential to have a multidisciplinary approach and hence the need for a PCOS society.”
The PCOS Society plans to serve as a forum for the interchange of ideas between professionals from different scientific and clinical backgrounds, striving to stimulate evidence-based studies that guide the management of these disorders. Besides, the Society plans to develop recommendations and protocols for the management of PCOS patients in India.