Welcome to the CYSTer-hood..!

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome / Disease (PCOS / PCOD) - the great enigma of our times! So exceedingly common (1 in 10 women have PCOS), yet we are still learning...
Initially described almost a 100 years ago by doctors Stein & Leventhal, the understanding of the disease continues to evolve even today!


To say a woman has PCOS, 2 out of the following 3 are necessary :-

1. Irregular Periods (2-3 monthly or more)
2. Excess facial / body hair, excess Acne (Pimples)
3. Ultrasonography done on 2nd day of periods showing Polycystic Ovaries (famous "String of Pearls" appearance)

NOTE :- NO BLOOD TESTS are necessary to Diagnose PCOS. They are only needed to rule out other diseases.


First and foremost, PCOS is a LIFESTYLE DISORDER.
It is NOT a purely Gynec or Cosmetic condition. It IS a METABOLIC condition. Just like Diabetes (both have the same underlying cause - Insulin Resistance).

What exactly is PCOS..?!

Insulin Resistance (body's inablility to use Insulin effectively) is the BASIC disorder that leads to polycystic ovaries, irregular periods, excess hair/pimples and later on - Diabetes, Heart disease, high risk of Cancer of Uterus and/or Ovaries.

Irregular Periods due to PCOS lead to difficulties in getting pregnant (Infertility) too. 

PCOS and Obesity - Because of Insulin Resistance, the women Gain Fat easily and have a hard time losing it. They also tend to put on fat mainly around the tummy, which is linked with higher risk of heart disease. 

Hence, rather than Scale weight or the commonly used BMI (Body Mass Index), it is better to measure Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), to correctly estimate fat deposition around the tummy. WHR < 0.8 is considered ideal/normal for women (and < 0.9 for men).

What can YOU do?

Healthy Lifestyle (Healthy Eating Habits & Regular Exercise) goes a long way in managing PCOS!

It is the Primary and THE most effective form of management for PCOS, especially to prevent the long term diseases.

So, ladies, if you are suffering from Irregular periods and/or Excess hair/pimples, head to your Gynecologist first to find out whether you have PCOS. 

Make way for the HPV vaccine...!

Hello, my bunch of empowered, healthy women!

In my last blog we talked about the benefits of regular Pap test to catch cervical cancer early.
Today, we'll discuss how to keep cervical cancer at bay!

Cervical cancer is caused by a VIRAL infection of the cervix (by the Human Papilloma Virus aka HPV). HPV also causes Anal cancers, Vaginal & Vulval cancers, Penile cancers, Mouth cancers and Genital Warts.
Cervical cancer is one of the 3 cancers caused by a Infection (others are Stomach & Liver cancer). The good news is that it can be Prevented by a Vaccine against the virus!
Enter - HPV vaccine! Tadaaa...!!

Now, HPV is contracted by Sexual Exposure. So, it makes most sense to get the vaccine BEFORE there is ANY sexual exposure (ideally, teenage).
Also, response of the body in building immunity against the infection when given the vaccine is best at a young age. 

In an ideal world, all children and young adults between 9-26 years should be vaccinated (yes, Boys too! Women get the infection from males, don't they?!).
In India, we are yet to introduce it in our NIS (National Immunization Schedule) due to cost concerns.

BUT, the vaccine is sold by private manufacturers and if you can afford it, you should definitely go for it!
Also, if you are already sexually active and/or above the age of 26 years, you MAY take the vaccine if you wish, but it's effect will not be as good as in those who are not sexually active / younger.

There are 2 brands currently available in India:
Cervarix (by GSK) protects against 2 sub-types of the virus. Each dose costs around Rs 2500 and 3 doses are required to complete the course (at 0, 1 and 6 months of starting the course).

Gardasil (by Merck) covers 4 sub-types of the virus and also protects against genital warts in addition to cervical cancer. It costs Rs 3200 per dose and 3 doses are required (at 0, 2 and 6 months of starting the course).
A newer vaccine, Gardasil 9 protects against 9 sub-types but is currently not available in India.
No booster shots are needed after taking full course of either vaccine.
All the available vaccines are completely SAFE with no major side-effects. Please do not believe half-truths on the internet discouraging vaccination.🙏 Please contact me regarding any doubts you have.

Common query 💭 My daughter/ I have taken the HPV Vaccine. Do I still need to get the regular Pap tests?😕

Uh... YES! Cervical cancer is MAINLY caused by HPV but there are few cases that occur independent of the infection. Also, vaccine protects against the COMMON viral subtypes, NOT ALL.
So, do continue regular 3-yearly Pap test screening! There's absolutely no substitute for it at present.

Well, now that you are well armed with the knowledge to prevent this deadly & 2nd most common cancer in India, head over to your Gynecologist and get yourselves protected!

PS : Getting the vaccine is NOT a free pass to avoid Pap tests or to practice high-risk behaviour.