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Irregular Menstrual Cycles & Infertility
Overweight women may suffer from irregular periods because as weight goes up, estrogen levels in the body can increase. Conflicting signals to the brain and ovaries may delay ovulation, which can cause a woman to skip her period for several days.
- Heavy bleeding when their period does come
- Loss of Iron
- General weakness and feeling run down
In general, irregular periods indicate hormonal imbalance. This imbalance may be improved with weight loss. Lifestyle changes which reduce stress levels are also important.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), also known as Polycystic Ovarian Disease, is often caused by a hormonal imbalance brought on by Insulin Resistance-related obesity. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (POS), is a condition where there is an imbalance in the female sex hormones that can lead to fertility problems and skin conditions.
Hormones regulate development of eggs in the ovaries during menstrual cycles. In POS, the eggs in these follicles do not mature and are not released from the ovaries. Instead, they form small cysts in the ovary. It’s these changes that can contribute to infertility.
- Have absent or irregular menstrual periods
- Decreased breast size
- Skin markings and creases around the armpits, neck, and breasts caused by insulin insensitivity
- Deepening of the voice
- Thinning hair on the head
Even a weight loss of 5 percent of total body weight may improve the imbalance of hormones and also fertility.
Medications such as birth control pills to make menstrual cycles more regular may also be used to treat POS.
Other possible complications of POS include an increased risk of endometrial cancer and possible increased risk of breast cancer.
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