Myth 1: Irregular periods means PCOD or PCOS

Dr Akhila says that one may experience irregular periods due to different reasons. It may not necessarily be related to PCOS or PCOD. “Irregular periods might happen due to a fad diet, breastfeeding or hormonal changes. Even women who face problems of uterus fibroid or pelvic inflammatory condition might also experience some irregularities in their period,” she explained. So making an assumption based on the menstrual cycle is incorrect. It is important to get diagnosed to know the exact reason behind such irregularity in the periods.

Myth 2: Only overweight women can get PCOD or PCOS

The doctor accepted that in most of the PCOD and PCOS cases it has been witnessed that the patients are overweight, but that does not mean lean people cannot be diagnosed with this health issue. Even women with normal weight can have PCOS or PCOD, which may happen due to hormonal issues like androgen hormones and insulin resistance. Due to this misconception, most people ignore the symptoms of lean PCOS, which later causes more trouble.

Myth 3: People suffering from PCOS are always on birth control pills.
This is another common misconception people have about PCOS. As per Dr Akhila, medications can only reduce the symptoms, not the problem. Birth control pills are not a permanent solution for PCOD and PCOS. Instead, she stressed the importance of finding the root cause of the diseases to finally get rid of it once and for all.

Myth 4: Women suffering from PCOD or PCOS cannot conceive
“No, this is incorrect. Women suffering from PCOS and PCOD might face a little difficulty when trying to conceive. This happens due to ovulation, hormonal or egg quality issues. But this does not mean they cannot conceive,” she stated. The doctor emphasised on the importance of eating the right diet, exercising, sleeping on time, managing stress levels and drinking enough water. She said that taking care of these five things when trying to conceive can increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Myth 5: Losing weight might help to get rid of PCOS

Losing weight is not a solution for getting rid of PCOD and PCOS. These diseases are caused due to several reasons and only losing weight will not help much. Other significant lifestyle changes can bring better results.