#Thread September is PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Awareness Month!
The patriarchal gender bias in healthcare care practice and medicinal research has a negative impact on our well-being!
The impact is huge and diverse! People living with PCOS find it challenging to navigate through the bias that distorts research, diagnosis, and treatment. According to research, PCOS is fast becoming a modern epidemic, especially in Asia.
So what is it? PCOS is a common endocrine disorder that affects people with ovaries, with 20-25% womxn in India and around 1 in 10 womxn worldwide affected by it.
The symptoms range from menstrual irregularity, weight gain, unusual hair growth, acne, along with an increased risk of infertility, diabetes, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disorders, and sleep apnea. Note- not all womxn menstruate or experience the same symptoms!
Though the exact cause is not known, it is usually attributed to genetics, an excess production of androgens ('male hormones'), a resistance to insulin, stress, and/or lifestyle.
The patriarchal lens of medicine frames reproduction as a womxn's 'biological duty', focusing on the 'preservation' of fertility which is detrimental to finding the right diagnosis and treatment. Girls as young as 11/12 have been put on contraceptives to 'regulate' their cycle.
Moreover, the PCOS symptoms like facial hair, weight gain, acne challenge the 'standard' expectation of an 'ideal' female body, which leads to further body image and mental health issues.
The idea that PCOS is a 'female' disorder marginalises the experience of transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people with PCOS. A study also found that men can also experience PCOS, leading to a lower testosterone count.
It's high time we stop viewing PCOS as a barrier to fertility and the prescribed femininity and focus on the emotional and mental impact it has on the people affected!
Sources- 'PCOS- A Modern Epidemic'- Maqbool M. et all; The Indian Express; Women's Health; PCOS Awareness Association; ncbi.nlm.gov; Economic and Political Weekly
#PCOS #PCOSAwarenessMonth #PCOSlife #PCOSAwareness #Feminism #Health #Intersectional #GenderBias #SmashPatriarchy
#Medicine #Doctors #Gynaecologists #Patriarchy #Transphobia #Genderbinary #Fertility #Anxiety #Diabetes
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