"When Alex Allan was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) aged 22 her GP told her the symptoms could only be managed and to come back when she wanted to have a baby. Thirty years on, she says women are still being given the same advice. PCOS is a hormonal disorder where ovaries produce large amounts of male sex hormones that interfere with the development and release of the eggs, which can affect periods and fertility."
"Mrs Allan, 51, is from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and works as a nutritionist, says her PCOS symptoms included hair loss, facial hair, feeling low and gaining weight. "When I have calls with women who are young and they are given the same advice I was given 30 years ago, [it] makes me feel so sad that we haven't moved forward," she says. One in eight women in the UK are affected by PCOS, according to the charity Verity."
Alex Allan received a PCOS diagnosis at 22 and was told symptoms could only be managed and to return when she wanted a baby. PCOS is a hormonal disorder in which ovaries produce excess male sex hormones that disrupt egg development and release, affecting periods and fertility. Reported symptoms included hair loss, facial hair, low mood, and weight gain. Many patients are offered the contraceptive pill, which does not address underlying causes. Clinicians often attribute symptoms to weight and provide little further information. PCOS affects about one in eight women in the UK.
Read at www.bbc.com
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